As darkness descends on Kamituga, a bustling mining town in eastern DR Congo, a diverse crowd—including gold-diggers, vendors, and sex workers—flocks to its vibrant nightlife. However, this social scene is drawing scrutiny as health officials link it to a rising mpox outbreak in the area.
Bitama Sebuhuni, a prospector recovering in the hospital after contracting the virus during unprotected sex, expressed concern, stating, “Life in Kamituga drives people to sin.” The town, renowned for its gold mines, has been identified as the starting point for the mpox epidemic that has emerged in the Democratic Republic of Congo since September.
Once abandoned by Belgian companies in the 1990s, Kamituga’s rich mineral resources have attracted a myriad of diggers and prospectors. While the official population is around 300,000, local sources suggest the number is much higher. The town’s colonial architecture has been overshadowed by numerous gold-buying shops, mining supply stores, and nightlife venues.
These establishments create an environment ripe for the spread of mpox, which is transmitted through close physical contact. After a long day in the mines, local workers often indulge in nightlife, seeking companionship and what Sebuhuni referred to as “atmosphere.” He remarked, “In our country, atmosphere means women, alcohol, and parties,” acknowledging his own past of engaging with sex workers without protection.
At the Kamituga hospital, where patients are isolated due to mpox, Dr. Dally Muamba Kambaji of the ALIMA international medical NGO noted that approximately 20% of cases were due to sexual transmission, emphasizing that condoms offer little protection against the virus.
Medical staff first recognized mpox’s resurgence when they noticed unusual skin lesions on a nightclub manager, leading to alarm as similar symptoms emerged among sex workers in the same venue. Although the “Mambengeti” nightclub has since closed, its name has become synonymous with the virus’s spread in Kamituga, largely driven by sex work.
In a nearby bar known as “The Sage’s Corner,” members of a local sex workers’ association gathered. Nicole Mubukwa, a member of the association, spoke candidly about the stigma surrounding their profession. “Business has slowed since the outbreak,” she lamented, noting that many infected women choose to remain silent about their health status to avoid losing clients.
Another member, Alice, shared her experience of being infected without awareness, saying, “It’s like with AIDS—everyone hides it.” She earns between 3,000 and 10,000 Congolese francs (approximately $1 to $3.50) per engagement, having relocated from the provincial capital of Bukavu in search of better opportunities.
Yet, despite the allure of a better life, some young women are misled by pimps who promise jobs as waitresses in Kamituga but ultimately exploit them into prostitution. As the virus spreads throughout South Kivu, the province has become the epicenter of the mpox epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is currently facing the most severe outbreak in Africa.
