KAMPALA – The Minister for Ethics and Integrity, Rev Fr Simon Lokodo, has urged the Internal Affairs minister, Gen Jeje Odongo, to cancel the Nyege Nyege Festival sponsored by telecom giant MTN Uganda, saying it is being used to propagate homosexuality in the country.
In a letter circulating on social media, Lokodo stated that “The nature of this event has attracted the attention of several stake holders who have taken keen interest in it. Consequently, I have received credible information for religious leaders, opinion leaders, and local authorities that the person of this festival, in the last two years, has been compromised to accommodate the celebration and recruitment of young people into homosexuality, and LGBT movement,” Lokodo said.
“Whereas the Anti-Homosexuality law was challenged in Courts of Law, the practice of deviant sexual behaviours have never been condoned in this country as such, it is our responsibility as government to protect the citizens against such vices,” Lokodo added.
“This letter therefore serves to inform you, as the Minister responsible for Internal affairs that the underlying motive beneath this heavily advertised event, may compromise the national integrity of our nation,” he said.
“I urge you to instruct the Inspector General of Police to stop this event. I also propose to have a meeting with you, the IGP, Director of CID, to discuss this matter further.”
The letter is also copied to the Vice President, Principal Private Secretary of the President of Uganda, Prime Minsiter, first Deputy prime Minister and the IGP.
When contacted, Fr Lokodo said the event has been blocked until they get clearance on the organisers, participants, the message and the mission for the event.
“I do not see any possibility of getting that clearance in time for the event to take place,” he said.
Youths have fun at one of the prior editions of the Nyege Nyege Festival
The Nyege Nyege festival is a showcase of the connections between Africa and the rest of the world with Cumbia from South America, vodou jazz from Haiti and underground hip hop from America. Nyege Nyege takes its inspiration from the legendary World Festival of the Black Arts’ that took place in Dakar Senegal in 1966.
The festival, which is sponsored by Bell Lager , Uganda Waragi and MTN Uganda, was scheduled for , Jinja, at the beach front of Nile Discovery Beach from Thursday 6th September to Sunday 9th September 2018
