Last year Church leaders raised an alarm over the Nyege Nyege Festival saying it promotes immorality and accommodates the celebration and recruitment of young people into homosexuality, and the LGBT movement.
Efforts by Ethics and Integrity Minister Fr Simon Lokodo to terminate the event hit the dead end after senior military officer and politician Gen. Jeje Odongo together with Uganda Media Center executive director Mr Ofwono Opondo announced government’s endorsement of the event.
As we report, the alleged cultural event is back once again this year. The Nyege Nyege Festival is set to begin 5th September, 2019 at the Nile Discovery Beach in Buikwe district.
Speaking to a state aided news daily on Wednesday, Fr Lokodo said the festival will be closely monitored by Police, the army and other sister security agencies to ensure that nothing “goes out of hand.”
In a statement, Police said there is a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between security agencies and organizers of the Nyege Nyege festival.
According to Police, organizers are to provide guidelines to the revelers prohibiting any use of prohibited drugs at the venue, acts of homosexuality, open sex and anything else considered immoral “because the Ugandan culture is a conservative one.”
“I do not expect people to attend the festival in attires that leave their breasts or bums out. Women should also not wear bikinis during the day,” Lokodo said, adding that indecency and nudity are totally prohibited.
“Open sex or any sexual activity which has been the practice of nyege nyege shall not be allowed. The police and army, both in uniform and civilian attire will be given free access to the venue and if they catch anyone engaging in any king of immorality, he or she shall be arraigned in the courts of law,” Lokodo explained.
According to media sources, Nyege Nyege is a Luganda word meaning ‘the feeling of a sudden uncontrollable urge to move, shake or dance’.
“Organizers to ensure this festival is not turned into a political event. Processions and political rallies are not in the mandate of the organizers of this festival,” Police said.
