PM Nabbanja Clears Nyege Nyege Festival

Nyege Nyege Festival will go ahead as planned but under strict guidelines.

Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja gave the festival a go-ahead on Wednesday, despite calls to cancel it on grounds of morality by Parliament.

Speaking after a meeting with various leaders and stakeholders, Nabbanja said tickets had already been sold and it was a good opportunity for the country's tourism sector.

"The event [Nyege Nyege] will go on but under strict guidelines. It attracts thousands of foreign tourists; we can't miss out on this opportunity at a time when the country is recovering from the effects of Covid-19," she said.

On Tuesday, there was a heated debate in Parliament after a section of legislators called for the cancellation of the festival.

Organisers had put everything in place as they expected thousands of revelers following the pandemic-enforced two-year hiatus but Parliament directed the ministries of Tourism and Ethics to ban the social event.

Tororo MP Sarah Opendi said Nyege Nyege promotes immorality and goes against the moral fabric of the nation, arguing that it would be the perfect breeding ground for homosexuality.

Her sentiments were echoed by Bugabula South MP Maurice Kibalya who said he had witnessed the festival firsthand and it is ‘totally immoral.’

"I come from Busoga, I have witnessed this Nyege Nyege; it's totally immoral. We can't sacrifice the morals of Ugandans because of tickets that have been sold. If the minister wants let him take it to his district,” he said.

In response the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among agreed with the legislators, noting that the festival should not happen.

This however caused public uproar on social media resulting the Prime Minister summoning a stakeholders' meeting that forged a way forward.