Nakuru residents watched in amazement as commercial sex workers embarked on a cleanup exercise at two police stations in Nakuru.
Passers-by watched as the commercial sex workers engaged in conversations with the officers and gifted the officers early Christmas presents.
The sex workers who were marking the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers donated bedding, household items, water tanks and brooms to the officers and cleaned Central and Bondeni police stations.
Nakuru OCPD Elena Kabukuru who received the items from the women under an umbrella body ‘Smart Ladies’ thanked the women and promised to address issues facing them.
Kabukuru urged the sex workers to closely work with the officers and report cases of assault for action to be taken as they seek to protect their rights.
“We are happy to have sex workers acknowledge role played by the police in policing. There are several cases reported to us by sex workers, cases that have been solved and others handed over to court,” said Kabukuru.
The more than 200 sex workers who were dressed in red t-shirts also cut overgrown vegetation and planted trees at the station and also replaced window hangings at the stations.
Led by their chair Daisy Achieng, the sex workers said the exercise was meant to build a strong relationship with the officers as they seek to work together in protecting the rights of the sex workers.
Achieng said they have encountered rape, harassment and intimidation while in their line of duty.
“We decided to clean the two police stations because we rush here whenever we have our right violated in our line of duty. The police have played a big role in ensuring we operate smoothly irrespective of challenges we face.”
“We believe we are part of the society who should ensure the implementation of police reforms. The bedding and items we have bought might be so little, but we appreciate what role police plays,” said Achieng.