Editor,

Towards the end of last year, there were  appeals to parliament to legalise prostitution. Article 221 of the Penal code on sex workers stipulates a prison term ranging from 6 months to 3 years and a fine ranging from 50,000 - 500,000Rwf for any person found guilty of  prostitution.

Responding to the appeal, the Deputy Speaker of Parliament,  Jean Damascene Ntawukuriryayo, said that Parliament could revisit this law.
In my view, the law banning prostitution should be maintained.

Prostitution should never be legalised because it fuels the spread of HIV. The relative success registered in the fight against this scourge could be jeopardised if prostitution was legalised.

Edgar Kabanda
Kigali