State Minister for Ethics and Integrity Fr. Simon Lokodo has asked Internal Affairs Minister, Jeje Odongo to instruct the Inspector General of Police to cancel the annual Nyege Nyege festival.
The four day festival was scheduled to take place from Thursday 6 to 9 September at the Nile Resort Beach in Jinja. 300 artists from 30 countries have been lined up to entertain revelers during the festival.
Promoters of the festival which last happened in September 2017 at the same venue say it is aimed at developing the cultural and music industry in Uganda, by creating platforms for upcoming artists.
“Nyege Nyege stands for peace, respect and abundant joy, it stands for Africa and Africans, for underground music and musicians, it stands for fun and curiosity and strives towards inclusivity and wonder, something of a perfect world you might say,” reads one of the promos for the event.
They add that Nyege Nyege is part of a Kampala based arts incubator that includes an arts residency and community studios, a record label and artist management agency called Nyege Nyege Tapes and a party crew called Boutiq Electroniq. The Festival is the platform on which new productions are showcased and the artists are highlighted for both audiences and musicians.
But Fr Lokodo says that the event is going to be used to promote sexuality adding that the underlying motive of the event may compromise the national integrity and put Ugandan citizens at risk of deviant sexual immorality.
“I have received credible information that from religious leaders, opinion leaders and local authorities that the purpose 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,” the letter reads in part.
The letter is copied to Vice President Edward Ssekandi, Principal Private Secretary to the President Molly Kamukama, the Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda, the First Deputy Prime Minister, Moses Ali, State Minister for Internal Affairs Kania Obiga and IGP Okoth Ochola.
“I urge you to instruct the Inspector General of Police to stop this event. I also propose to have a meeting with you, the Inspector General of Police and the Director CIID to discuss the matter,” the letter adds.
– URN
