The highly anticipated and internationally acclaimed Nyege Nyege music festival 2019 kicks off on Thursday 5th September in Uganda. The government says attendees should expect extremely tight security during the four-day event.
State Minister for Ethics, Fr. Simon Lokodo warns participants that any sexual activity, violence, and drug abuse will not be tolerated.
“I do not expect people to attend the festival in attires that leave their breasts or bums out. Women should also not wear bikinis during the day,” Lokodo said, adding that indecency and nudity are totally prohibited he expressed to local media on Wednesday.
The festival’s name evokes different meanings among East African countries. In Uganda, Nyege refers to the uncontrollable urge to dance. However, the word also has sexual connotations among Swahili speakers.
The government has been up in arms about the morality of the festival but Nyege Nyege co-founder Derrick Debru always stressed that Nyege Nyege is a movement aimed at empowering the Ugandan creative sector, as well as boosting the country’s reputation as a home for creativity.
“The festival has over the years contributed tremendously not only to the government but the locals too, in terms of creating employment before, during and after the event,” Debru said.
The festival has been featured on several major publications in the world, including The Guardian, CNN, BBC, Rolling Stone and The Economist.
The Africa Tourism Awards recognized Nyege Nyege as the “Best Overall Tourism Event in Uganda in 2018”.
According to a memorandum of understating between government and the organizers, in the event of a breach of any or a combination of the above terms, the government reserves the right to call off the event without notice.
The festival runs through Sunday at Nile Discovery Beach in Jinja.
