Due to public outcry, the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has contradicted the Speaker’s decision of halting the Nyege Nyege festival by assuring public that it has to take place.
Nabbanja’s stand comes after a decision by the Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Among and a few Members of Parliament members who insisted that Nyege Nyege should be halted.
Their decision was based on the fact that Nyege Nyege promotes sexual immorality among people and also affects the country’s culture.
“We are talking about morality of this country, we are talking about our children. You are trying to promote tourism at the expense of our children? We are not going to allow this function to take part,” Among vowed.
Among’s decision was supported by Tororo Woman MP Hon. Sarah Opendi who noted that the event is a breeding ground for sexual immorality.
State Minister for Ethics and Integrity, Rose Lilly Akello also explained that what they have witnessed in the previous Nyege Nyege fetes is enough proof that it must be stopped.
Parliament’s stand caused an uproar from a section of the public, especially on social media, with many attacking the legislative arm of government.
Here are some of the comments:
If Uganda was one of these temperamental countries like Tunisia or Algeria, the cancellation of the Nyege Nyege festival would be the trigger for a mass street uprising, leading to a “Uganda Spring”.
Feelings are running high and hot against parliament.
— Timothy Kalyegira (@TimKalyegira) September 6, 2022
If M7 doesn’t intervene in his usual way of putting out sparks before they turn into forest fires and issue an “order from above” for the Nyege Nyege festival to go ahead, cans of worms of Uganda’s political secrets might be opened, triggering off a secondary political crisis.
— Timothy Kalyegira (@TimKalyegira) September 6, 2022
I am still asking myself what is so immoral about Nyege Nyege. I mean there’s no torture. No human rights abuses. No corruption. No one shoving you off the road. It is just people having fun and trying to forget how tough life can get.
— Jordan Tumwesigye (@JTumwesigye) September 6, 2022
It seems Magogo asked for permission to go to Nyege Nyege.
Speaker: Hold my beer.
Ugandans: 😭😭😭
— Kakwenza Rukirabashaija (@KakwenzaRukira) September 6, 2022
In order to fight Immorality, Nyege Nyege has been stopped! Does it only become immoral b’se the event is captured on cameras? Wen will they stop lodges,bars & casinos?
If it’s indeed immorality they’re talking about,I am worried those suspending the event aren’t any different.
— Nyanjura Doreen Omutatina (@DoreenNyanjura) September 6, 2022
The @Parliament_Ug has a consistent supply of condoms. It’s not that Parliament is a brothel, but we trust that what adults do in their offices & dark corners at Parliament is born out of informed choices. Nyege Nyege is for adults, who we should trust to make informed choices.
— Muzaphal Kimbugwe (@Muzaphalk) September 6, 2022
The Nyege Nyege question around morality is honestly misplaced. What is immoral about groups of adults sitting down to quaff beers while listening to music and having fun?
— Jordan Tumwesigye (@JTumwesigye) September 6, 2022
He has no idea bodas, kiosks, restaurants, people running mobile money shops in Busoga benefit from Nyege Nyege. These people are abject morons tbh…. https://t.co/lmAOCBAcbF
— Kelvin Omukungu (@KOmukungu) September 6, 2022
MPs are always keen to yap about Nyege Nyege and in the process exposing all their ignorance about how tourism works. I wish we could just ban bleaching instead so that we see people in their true colours. pic.twitter.com/ucEkDRMSDb
— Allan Ssenyonga (@ssojo81) September 6, 2022
I think we are just looking for excuses to justify our poor parenting, by the time my under age child goes for Nyege Nyege, I have failed as a parent.. let’s stop this nonsense and start parenting .. https://t.co/8SREKOBRY1
— Patrick Salvado 👑 (@idringp) September 6, 2022
My problem is not even cancelling Nyege Nyege, But surely our parliament has more serious issues to deal with. Why do they keep calling us their children? We don’t get the good jobs, we don’t get the good life, why are we only their children when they are policing us?
— Laza (@Senor_Mitch) September 6, 2022
Y’all husbands have 6 children outside your marriages but it’s Nyege Nyege where you see immorality. https://t.co/SVSbmllFgm
— Thomas (@Owishemwe) September 6, 2022
However, in a twist of events today, Nabbanja called for a briefing at the Office of the Prime Minister and made a stand that Nyege Nyege festival has to go on.
The prime Minister gave permission to the organisers to proceed with their festival, she however cautioned security officers to keep law and order throughout the event.
Nyege Nyege is a festival that collects all people from across the world. It is due to take place on 15th, September, 2022 in Itanda falls, Jinja.
But like the saying goes, ‘There is no such thing as bad publicity’?, all the bad comments and called for the show to be cancelled have worked well in the hands of the Fete organisers and they must be smiling all the way to the bank.
Many people who did not know much about the show are already calling for tickets.
Among them is Forum for Democratic Chance (FDC) party president Patrick Amuriat Oboi, who we understand is married and Deputy Lord Mayor Doreen Njanjura, who is single anyway.
We don’t know whether they will indeed attend in person but here are their pleas;
Due to this nyege nyege hullabaloo caused @Parliament_Ug , I’ve decided to attend this years festival. I hate making uninformed judgment. Nyege nyege appears to behave like running water. Stand in its way, it’ll find its way. @RobinahNabanja_ hasten the clearance. pic.twitter.com/ektUPSCC1b
— Patrick Oboi Amuriat (@PatrickAmuriat) September 7, 2022
So where are the Nyege Nyege tickets sold, I want one for myself and for someone’s son.
— Nyanjura Doreen Omutatina (@DoreenNyanjura) September 7, 2022
By Kalamira Hope
