Organizers of Elgon festival face arrest for parading half-naked girls during gala

KAMPALA, UGANDA: The Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET) an umbrella body for women activists in has asked police to arrest the organisers of the Elgon Festival for undermining the dignity of a girl-child after they paraded half-naked girls during the recently concluded cultural gala.

Organised by the Masaba Tourism Initiative in partnership with Babana Basha and Mbale City Council, the Elgon Festival event which took place at Mbale SS Grounds in Mbale City over the weekend attracted backlash from a section of activists and cultural enthusiasts after pictures and videos of teenage girls displaying their protruding breasts as they marched through the city went viral on social media.

While speaking to the media in Kampala, the women activists argue that the act by the organizers undermined the dignity of a girl- child and that it was against the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda.

Ms Miria Matembe, one of the representatives of UWONET said it’s absurd that leaders in the district allowed such a festival, which violated gender equality to take place.

“It is so absurd that leaders in Mbale City allowed this kind of behaviour to take place with young girls exposing their bodies. I don’t know what happened to this country called Uganda,” Ms Matembe said.
She appealed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Martin Okoth Ochola to intervene and arrest anybody who was part of the organisers of the event.

Other people accused of being behind the festival include the Resident District Commissioner (RCC), Mbale City, Mr Ahamad Washaki and officials of Mbale City.

Mr Eric Mukhwana, a resident of Mbale City, said it was unfortunate that Mr Washaki allowed the festival to go with due diligence.
“I’m informed that permission was granted by Mbale City RCC, Mr Washaki Ahamada, with caution that IYM-Inzu Ya Masaba should not be involved. And so it was,” he said.

Mr Mukhwana said the festival was an embarrassment to the culture of the Bamasaba community.
“Of course, this will either in the short run or long run damage our culture and it’s high time for the disgruntled cultural institutions to wake up,” he said.

RCC Washaki, however, said as security, they okayed the festival after the organisers indicated that they were showcasing the culture of the Bamasaaba people.
“We were not aware that the festival would turn into a nude show,” he said, adding that security has summoned the organisers of the event to explain how such events unfolded in the city.

Ms Rebecca Neumbe, a woman leader in Mbale City, said what transpired demeans women’s dignity and that the organisers should be arrested and prosecuted.
“As women leaders, we are considering dragging the organisers to court for parading half-naked young girls in the streets in violation of their rights to privacy,” he said.

Ms Josephine Flavia Lunyolo, the industrial Division East councilor, said they were shocked to see young girls moving half naked and wondered if it was a new culture in Masaba land.

Mr James Kutosi, the Public Relations Officer, Mbale City, said permission was granted by the council on ground that it was a cultural parade of different cultures in Elgon Sub -region.“Permission was granted by Council but the details of the event were not availed,” he said.

Ms Priscila Khainza Mungoma, the proprietor of the Masaba Tourism Initiative and the lead organisers of the festival said the aim was to showcase the Bamasaaba culture, which she claimed was dying.
“The aim of the festival was to showcase the Bamasaaba culture which is dying. I was, however, surprised at how people sexualised the dress code,” she said.

In a statement issued June 14, 2022 Ms Khainza said what happened was only a reflection of the Bamasaba culture.

However, the police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga when approached on the matter said that if activists want the organisers of the event to be arrested, they should formally petition the IGP with evidence.