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The Prime Minister of Uganda Robinah Nabbanja has given permission for the Nyege Nyege festival organisers to carry on with their event as planned.
This comes after a meeting called amidst public outrage over the suspension of the four-day festival by Parliament, which claimed it is immoral and promotes homosexuality.
In a meeting with stakeholders today morning at the Office of the Prime Minister, Nabbanja cautioned the security officers to keep law and order throughout the event.
“We had a meeting that I chaired to discuss the Nyege Nyege event that has been taking place in this country. A number of resolutions have been reached. One of them is to harmonize with the arm of Parliament to see that this event takes place with guidelines that will restrict those that are coming to celebrate to behave in a manner that is acceptable by Ugandan culture,’’ Ms Nabbanja said.
“The event will take place. It is an event that attracts thousands and thousands of tourism across the globe and therefore, cancellation would be challenging. We also have to think about the economy,” she added.
However, Parliament of the republic of Uganda yesterday afternoon stopped the Nyegenyege 22nd annual festival which is supposed to take place next week in Jinja town
The motion was brought by the Tororo woman member of parliament Sarah Opendi who said that such events breeds sexual immorality.
In an emotional debate yesterday, MPs led by the Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among said the festival needs to be stopped to “protect the morality” of young people.
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The speaker during the plenary session said such events are against the culture and morality of the country.
According to the Prime Minister, the guidelines would be formulated by ministries of Ethics and Integrity and that of National Guidance together with the organizers.
The four-day festival on the banks of the Nile in the southern town of Jinja brings together artists from across Africa to entertain around 10,000 revellers and is usually held in September.
By
Mumbejja Joy Ndagiire
