Following heightened interest,
Parliament has been forced to disown a Bill seeking to legalise prostitution in Kenya.
The Sexual Enterprise Bill, 2018, which is a mock Bill by students at the Kenya School of Law, had ignited debate on whether Kenya was about to legalise the world's oldest profession.
The National Assembly went on Twitter to dismiss the Bill stating that
Majority Leader Aden Duale had said that no such Bill had been published or tabled before Parliament.
"A purported bill named Sexual Enterprise bill by Leader of Majority circulating in social media is fake and should be treated with the contempt it deserves. Majority Leader Aden Duale has no such bill either published or having tabled in the House," the tweet read.
The students said legalisation on prostitution would protect commercial sex workers, promote health standards through mandatory screening and use of condoms and generate revenue for the government through taxation and licensing.
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"It will reduce the rate of unemployment and poverty by recognising commercial sex work as a form of employment, provide mechanisms for the reduction of sexual exploitation of minors, human trafficking and forced commercial sex work through regulation of the trade," the mock bill states.
"It will develop local communities in which commercial sex enterprises operate and create harmony and education on alternative sources of revenue."
The bill proposes the establishment of a regulatory agency - the Sexual Enterprises Authority of Kenya - which will register all licensed commercial sex workers and establishments.
It states that a person eligible to practice commercial sex work should be above 18 years, unmarried and a Kenyan citizen.
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The worker should also not have an STI, mental illness or drug addiction.
Those who want to practice prostitution should present their birth certificate, certificate of good conduct, KRA PIN and a medical report for licensing.
The students propose that licensed operators must provide health information for both workers and clients. They should also not exploit their employees.
Every commercial sex business operator will take steps to ensure condoms are used.
A person operating a commercial sex premise without a valid license shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding Sh5 million or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
Advertisements for services should not be broadcast on radio, TV or cinema.
They may, however, be advertised as classified adverts on newspapers.