/ 6 August 2001

PROSTITUTES HIT MALAWI EN MASSE FOR SUMMIT

SCORES of prostitutes from the neighbouring countries of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana and from within Malawi itself have begun arriving in Blantyre set to ply their trade ahead of the Southern Africa Development Committee (SADC) summit which takes place in the city from today (Monday) up to the 15th of this month. About 13 SADC Heads of State and government including hundreds of other officials are expected to swell the numbers of potential clientele as they attend the summit, the second to be hosted by Malawi. The country last hosted a similar summit in 1997. The prostitutes started arriving in the city some two weeks ago and are already frequenting Blantyres most popular entertainment centres and hotel bars. Bar tenders interviewed at random confirmed the presence of foreign looking girls in most bars and night clubs in the city. “They are pouring in, most of them seem to be from Zambia and Zimbabwe,” one bartender said. Prostitution is illegal in Malawi. – The Chronicle