The late Father Simon Lokodo, former Minister of Ethics and Integrity
A section of legislators from Karamoja region have urged the appointing authority to reserve the position of Commissioner at Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) to a person from Karamoja region, because the region has few educated people.
Leading this call was Esther Anyakun (State Minister for Disaster Preparedness) during the sitting held to pay tribute to Father Simon Lokodo, former Minister of Ethics and Integrity who passed on at Switzerland after losing battle to Covid-19 where he had gone to defend Uganda’s human rights record at the United nations Human Rights Council.
In her tribute, Anyakun said that when Lokodo became Minister, he dedicated his life towards imparting into Ugandans morals and strong cultural values and because he left very big responsibility, there is need to reward him by ring-fencing the position for his people.
She said, “I also saw on social media, there was a lot of ring fencing going on, we as a region, we are also asking this Government to give us back that position. Let it remain in Karamoja, we have educated people there who can be in position to take up that position. We aren’t taking about big things, but we have very few educated people in Karamoja.”
She was backed by Joseph Komol (Dodoth North) who requested Government to take over the children who were being looked after by Lokodo, build a school as well as reserve the position for someone from the region.
However, Anyakun’s request was met with booing from fellow legislators, prompting Deputy Speaker Anita Among to come to her defence pointing out that when former Bank of Uganda Governor passed on, people from Kigezi requested the position to be reserved for someone from their region, and MPs from Karamoja are entitled to their opinion.
First Deputy Prime Minister, Moses Ali who led tribute by Government, thanked Lokodo for serving Uganda with dedication and patriotism, adding that the former Ethics Minister was a strong advocate of family values and morals through the ministry of ethics and integrity and catholic church in Uganda.
However, Lokodo’s tribute was also marred with criticism from MPs like Elijah Okupa (Kasilo County) who asked all Ugandans who celebrated Lokodo’s death to repent of their sins for celebrating the death of a patriotic leader like Lokodo.
Okupa said, “But what is disheartening is that some people went on social media, attacking the dead, what has happened to Ugandans”? Why would one go on social media and attack the person of Father Lokodo who fought for the morals of this country? When we had issues of homosexuality, he stood firm, but some for whatever reasons opted for that, what we can only say, may God forgive them and they need to repent.”
It should be recalled that some of Lokodo’s haters criticized him for championing archaic policies like campaign against miniskirts targeting women, a campaign that saw some men in society harass women for putting on short attires. Lokodo was also castigated for fighting entertainment festivals like nyege nyege.
In her tribute, Deputy Speaker, Among said that when Father Lokodo would start harassing people for putting on miniskirts, he wouldn’t want to see anybody in a miniskirt, even among MPs.
“Even in Parliament, nobody would put on a miniskirt. Father Lokodo hated homosexuality and wowed to campaign against it, and we shall remember him for that, he also hated Female Genital Mutilation and also hated early marriages,” said Among.
Chris Baryomunsi, Minister of Information, Communications Technology and National Guidance revealed that Government spent Shs400M on clearing hospital bills, transporting the body as well as footing burial expenses for Lokodo.
