Gulu district Chairman Martin Ojara Mapenduzi has said about 356 Sex workers have been registered and are currently being documented.
Speaking at Te-yat Radio Program on Mega Fm on Saturday , Mapenduzi said they identified these sex workers through various LC 1 Chairpersons in the district.
Gulu Chairman also clarified that they did not pick any food relief to give to these sex workers, but rather, some Christian Charity organisation has offered to help them.
Mr. Mapenduzi clarified that some of these sex workers had vowed through a recording that they will go and meet these Truck drivers if they are not given food relief.
The district task force also engaged Charity organisations to try to help street Kids.
Favor of God Ministry is currently helping to house and rehabilitate these Children according to Mapenduzi, a section of the street Children are also being supported by Hastag Gulu. Some of them are being kept at former Gulu Support the Children Organisation-GUSCO.
Gulu Chairman said that the Task force had to convene a meeting to address this issues, because these Sex workers and street children commonly known as ‘Aguu’ were at risk of getting the virus and spreading it in the community.
Plans are underway to register all these sex workers, and rehabilitate them.
However, Amuru district Chairman, Hon. Micheal Lakony has vowed that his district will not support these sex workers because Prostitution is illegal in Uganda.
Mr. Lakony argues that he can not promote an act of criminality in his district, and that these sex workers should get involved in meaningful work.
Some sections of people have questioned the criteria used to give food relief to these people.
This comes at a time when there are allegations that some of these sex workers had threatened to expose names of some local leaders who are allegedly their ‘customers’
Section 139 of the penal code act states that any person who practises who engages in Prostitution commits and offence and is liable to imprisonment for seven years.