Robinah Nabanja the current prime minister has cleared Nyege Nyege festival after an emergency meeting that was attended by Uganda police, the ministers of Tourism, Internal affairs minister, ICT and national guidance, Ethics, and Integrity, and the Ministry of Gender, Labor and social development.
Upon a number of deliberations, the ministries agreed to have a few guidelines in place for the event organizers. Among the guidelines included restricting revelers from behaving in ways that are unacceptable in Ugandan cultures. Among the things sighted as unacceptable is public affection.
However, regardless of the fact that Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja has given a green light for the Nyege Nyege festival 2022 to proceed, the speaker of parliament Anitah Among refuses to withdraw her stand against the event taking place.
During the parliament meeting yesterday, the speaker of parliament was quoted saying; “You are trying to promote tourism at the expense of pour children and we are not going to allow that function to take place.”
According to the minister of state for Ethics; the event is rated 18; therefore nobody under the age of 18 should be allowed to attend the Nyege Nyege festival.
Nyege Nyege festival is scheduled for the 15th to the 18th of September at Itanda falls in Jinja. The venue is owned and run by Adrift; one of the leading Nile-related activities companies in Jinja. Among the top activities offered by Adrift include whitewater rafting at the Nile.
According to the Nyege Nyege website; the day passes for Thursday the 15th are fully booked. For anyone to access the venue on Thursday, they will have to purchase the 250,000Ugx 4 days pass.
What does Nyege Nyege mean?
In Swahili; Nyege means lust or an uncontrollable desire for sex. In Luganda, Nyege Nyege is shorthand for “Ekinyegenyege” which means the kind of urge that moves someone to do or participate in something they were initially spectating.
For instance, an old person participates in a kind of dance that is considered for the youth after watching them dance for some time until they get moved to participate in a dance that everyone would not expect people of his or her age to participate in.