A bid by Uganda’s minister for ethics and integrity Simon Lokodo to ban the Nyege Nyege festival has failed and the event will still go ahead as planned this weekend.
Lokodo had argued that the festival would and has been used in the "recruitment of young people into homosexuality". His accusation was put forward on Monday (September 3), but has now been rejected by the country’s government which is led by prime minister Ruhakana Rugunda.
His letter to the government said: "I have received credible information that from religious readers, 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.
Lokodo, who has long been an outspoken critic of LGBT rights in Uganda, goes onto describe homosexuality as "deviant sexual behaviours", and cites the country’s banning of homosexuality as a reason for its alleged necessary cancellation.
The festival will however now go ahead as originally planned running from September 6-9. To find out more information on the festival itself, head here.
