Uganda: MTN Nyege Nyege given green light

The confirmation was made yesterday evening by government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo, who tweeted: “Just spoken to [the] Internal Affairs Minister, he states that the Nyege Nyege organisers should go ahead with preparations for their function. [A] further review meeting involving all stakeholders is scheduled for 10am tomorrow.”

Opondo’s tweet came a day after Lokodo wrote to Minister of Internal Affairs Jeje Odongo, calling for the cancellation of the festival.

In a letter dated 3 September 2018, Lokodo asked the minister to cancel the festival citing issues of homosexuality.

“I have received credible information 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,” reads part of the letter.

Lokodo said that if allowed to continue, the festival was bound to put citizens at risk of deviant sexual immorality and compromise the integrity of the country. He further asked the minister to instruct the inspector-general of police to stop the event.   

Lokodo held a press conference yesterday where he announced that the festival would not take place.

“MTN Nyege Nyege will not be accepted because these people will be openly saying such statuses,” he said. “This year, it will not take place. I wanted Nyege Nyege cancelled last year but they escaped. There will be nudity and sexuality done at any time of the hour. There will be open sex. The very name of the festival is provocative. It means sex, sex or urge for sex. This is close to devil worshiping and not acceptable.”

Since his appointment in 2011, the minister has been on a crackdown of events associated with the LGBT community. On August 2017, he shut down an LGBT march scheduled to take place in Kampala, accusing the organisers of attempting to recruit and promote homosexuality.

The US and Swedish embassies in Kampala expressed disbelief that the event was cancelled.

In a statement, the US mission said: “The US is disappointed with reports that the Ugandan government has forced the cancellation of LGBTI pride week events. Under Uganda’s Constitution, all individuals and organisations have right to associate freely in private and in public, without fear. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure that human rights of all citizens, including LGBTI citizens, are respected and protected.”

After Lokodo’s announced the cancellation yesterday, a number of online users accused the minister of sabotaging an event that had promoted local and international tourism.

About 300 artists from more than 30 countries are expected to perform at this year's edition.

Kenyan rumba band Orchestra Les Mangelepa, which was last in Uganda in the early 1980s, will be making its debut at the event. Bandleader Kabila Kabanze Evany told Music In Africa that the band would leave for Jinja tonight.

“It's been a long time," he said. "I have mixed emotions. I am excited and honoured by the invitation and at the same time I am sad because the last time we performed here we were a full band. Now most of the original members are dead. Nonetheless, we expect to carry the Kenyan flag high and make the young audience dance to this old style of music.”