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Citizen Posts
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Nyege Nyege which is Uganda’s biggest festival and one of the popular annual events on the continent has been facing sharp criticism whenever its about to happen. This normally comes from religious leaders and legislators who accuse the organizers of this event of hurting the country’s moral fibric.
Those who criticize the event normally get to these conclusions from the photos that come out of the festival venues where people dance, drink, have fun non stop for three days. Nyege Nyege attracts party animals from across the globe and has happened in Jinja City or along the Nile river in Jinja.
From the times of Father Lokodo until today, critics always come up towards the event but it happens. This is because it has the backing of strongly firm leaders like former Speaker Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga who has always downplayed criticism and negativity but appreciates the economic boom and cash that the event brings in the country.
Kadaga who has attended this festival several times says many misconceptions about Nyege Nyege are based on lies and she would face head to head with whoever wants it eliminated.
Now ahead of the Nyege Nyege Festival later this week on 13th to 17th November in Jinja City at the Golf Course near the source of the River Nile with over 300 artists, pastors from Jinja have voiced strong opposition to this years edition.
Their sharp criticism and opposition is based on the belief that the festival promotes immoral behaviors such as nudity and homosexuality which are contrary to biblical teachings.
Addressing journalists at a presser held at his Jinja’s Oboja road based Evangel World Vision Church, Pastor Zachariah Serwadada emphasized that such practices negatively affect the young generation and spoil the community.
While Serwadda acknowledges that the festival comes along with several economic benefits to the region, he insists that it’s not worth the moral compromise. He urged the community to avoid participating in the event, warning that those who so would be considered unholy in the eyes of the Lord.
The pastors emphasied that their opposition of the event is not directed at Minister Rebecca Kadaga as a person but at the practices promoted by the festival. The have also extended and invitation to meet with them and discuss the issues surrounding the festival as they believe these festivals contradict biblical teachings.
During the Busoga prayer week last month, Kadaga poured cold water on calls for the elimination of the festival by religious leaders urging them to look at the event and criticize it with facts not ‘lugambo’. She urged them to focus on the economic and tourism contributions of the event to the region.
“The entrance fee for Nyege Nyege is Shs300,000. Which child in Busoga can afford that? Let’s not misrepresent facts”-Kadaga said, challenging the Bishop’s concerns.
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