NEWS:Mbale City Nude Festival Organizers to Face 7 Year in jail

 

The organizers of Elgon Cultural Festival 2022 are facing imminent Prosecution and possible Imprisonment of seven years according to government.

 

In a press statement issued yesterday 17th June, 2022 and signed by the Minister of State for Gender and Culture Affairs, Peace Regis Mutuuzo, the act of parading half naked teenage girls on the streets of Mbale City in the name of culture was unlawful and degrading.

Mutuuzo says the organizers broke the 1995 Constitution of Uganda and the Children’s  Amendment Act 2016 Section 7(1).

The Act states that a person shall not expose a child to any customary or cultural practice that is harmful to his or her health, wellbeing, education or social economic development.

The same Section, Sub section (2) delineates harmful customary or cultural practice to mean; any activity that is mentally, physically, socially or morally harmful to a child and includes an activity that interferes with a child’s education and social development.

Sub Section 3 states that a person who Contravenes the sub sections above commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of Imprisonment not exceeding 7 years or a fine not exceeding 168 currency points.

The Minister also quoted the Institution of Traditional or Cultural Leaders Act 2011 Section 14 which provides that “A traditional or Cultural Leaders or Institution shall not practice any custom, culture usage or tradition that detracts from the rights of any person as guaranteed under the construction or any law.

“In view of the above, government therefore wishes to inform the general public that some of the activities of this Cultural Festival are best described as unlawful, degrading and reckless,” Mutuuzo said.

The Minister has consequently directed the Inspector General of Police to institute an inquiry into the matter with a view of “bringing the perpetrators to book.”