{UAH} If I catch you in a lodge at lunchtime . . .

If I catch you in a lodge at lunchtime . . .
Publish Date: Jul 05, 2015

Fr. Simon Lokodo: "Don't you know that condoms are not 100% protective?"

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newvision

Interview


When ethics and integrity state minister Fr. Simon Lokodo called for the removal of condoms from Parliament, he met a lot of mixed responses. UMARU KASHAKA asked him on why he is undermining the Government policy of fighting against HIV  

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Why are you shooting the C out of the ABC government strategy?

No, I am not. On the contrary I am in support of the Government's strategy of Abstinence, Being faithful and Condoms (ABC). What the Government is saying is abstain or be faithful to your partner. But, if you cannot because of your weakness as a person, then use condoms. But people are twisting it. They say, use condoms. If you cannot, then abstain. If you cannot abstain, then be faithful. That is what I am condemning. The Government is not saying: "Condoms are here, go and have sex; you are safe!" Don't you know that condoms are not 100% protective?



So are you going to remove them from Parliament?

I may not be able to remove them, but certainly I will continue to advocate against having them in Parliament. You are destroying the moral fibre of the country. All the loos of Parliament are full of condoms! These are mature people who should know how to refrain from immoral acts. They are married! Why should they get condoms? We are spoiling the image of the institution of legislation, which should be a home of modesty, stability and surety.



You recently called on the Police to raid guesthouses and arrest people having sex during lunch time. Is that the best use of the Police's time?

 People have reduced their lives to sex activity only! Lunchtime is for meals and rest! But people now meet prostitutes or people they have lured at that time! The laws are very clear; the Penal Code says prostitution is criminal. I condemn it and since it is illegal, the Police are the instituted enforcers. They will comb these places and if you are found, you will be taken to the courts of law.



Isn't that undue interference in private lives? What is private life?

You cannot kill people in your house and call that private! You are free to do anything so long as you do not infringe on the freedom of others or to humiliate, degrade and use others as tools for your satisfaction. This is not acceptable.



People say you are so controversial that they have stopped listening to you

They are free. I am not bothered at all. I will go on building moral values in this country. I have the obligation to inform the citizenry of the negativities with the hope of drawing them back to the right track. Don't you see we have lost morals? I will continue speaking loud and clear, denouncing evil.



You said you had a Police squad to hunt down prostitutes; where is it?

It is there, alive and kicking. It is fully institutionalised and its efficiency and effectiveness have already been felt. Haven't you heard that we have been raiding brothels, bars, lodges and places of group sex? We have arrested and prosecuted several people for practising prostitution.



But we still see sex workers on the streets openly looking for clients!

There is a team which is supposed to monitor all the streets in Kampala and arrest these people. If they are not doing their work, I accept that as our weakness.



Sex workers have been trying to meet you, why have you refused to give them audience?

They stubbornly identified themselves as sex workers, as if to praise their status! No, I cannot accept that. I am ready to listen to anybody, but please if you are a sex worker, first remove your tag, say you are a human being, and come. I want to meet people not prostitutes. I do not want to look like I am recognising prostitution, no!



Do you think one day Uganda will get rid of sex workers?

Well, that is my target. At least let us curb this trade. I know it has been here for a long time, but we cannot just soil the image of the country by displaying sex workers on the streets. Dignified guests stay at Imperial Royale, Serena and Sheraton hotels! They think prostitution is the order of the day in Uganda. Even in Europe where it is legalised, they are limited to red light streets, not everywhere.



FIDA-Uganda criticised your method of arresting sex workers and those who solicit for their services because it sometimes nets innocent passers-by

We throw the net and catch all kinds of fi sh. We then screen everybody and release the innocent. It may hurt the innocent but that is a game of gambling. It is not easy to distinguish the guilty from the innocent, especially when you raid suddenly.



So, aren't you concerned that when you display their faces in the media, you violate the rights of the innocent?

We are. That is why we always avoid the media. But we may take pictures because our investigators need videos and pictures to prove the case in court. Of course, we would like to do as the Americans do. In the US, pictures in the criminal act are never taken or published. I am warning journalists to restrain from such behaviour. We have even warned the media that even when they decide to run the story, it should be in such a way that the dignity and integrity of the person is maintained.



Why are you so concerned about sexual immorality at the expense of other unethical behaviour like corruption, human rights abuse and child sacrifices?

It is only because I have been occasioned on several occasions to speak on the sexual immorality. But my offi ce covers all spheres of moral decadence. We are not sparing any of them. We equally condemn all immoral behaviour. Corruption, for example, kills more than HIV/AIDS because when someone embezzles money meant for drugs, the sick people die. It is even worse than terrorism and, therefore, we strongly condemn it.



We have not seen you ask a minister to step aside over corruption allegations

That is my principle. I have always advocated for the practice of stepping aside to allow investigations to take place. And fortunately, in a few cases, we have done this. We have even requested the heads of ministries, departments and agencies to ensure that whenever there is someone being investigated over corruption, this offi cer should be suspended or interdicted for a period of six months to allow the investigation process go unabated.



But you said nothing about the ministers who entered unethical contracts

It is not silence as such; that has not yet reached my desk. You know that whenever I get such a case I do not spare my breath to condemn it. Trust me.



As a minister of ethics, didn't you show a bad example when you lied at a press conference that you had arrested singer Desire Luzinda's ex-boyfriend, Franklin Emuobor?

I did not just jump out to announce; I was also wrongly informed. The blame goes to the one who misled me to think that the arrest had taken place. To err is human. And when it turned out not to be true, I actually apologised and withdrew my statement. But it should remain very clear that even if Franklin has remained at large, nobody in Uganda will remain free if they do what he did to Desire.



Do you miss active priesthood?

I am actually practically within the lines of priesthood. My only limitation is that I cannot take full-time active priesthood. That is going to the altar, saying mass and delivering sacraments. But in entity and in the person, I am a priest. I say my daily prayers and perform all my obligations in my breviary. So, I am comfortable. In the event that the Church, which thought that I was out of place by being in politics, reverses its view as it has done somewhere, I could return. I know of ministers, for example, in South Sudan who are both priests and politicians. I could also get that exemption and probably open avenues for others, because I know there are many priests who would be good politicians. I do not think I am putting my church at a loss by doing what I am doing now.



The media reported some WhatsApp messages between you and a certain woman that were somehow 'unpriestly'

It was all malicious. Someone just picked photo shots. There was no evidence of us being together. Even those messages were just fitted in. And we have already subjected that story for investigations. Soon, the journalist responsible will have to answer.



So you mean you do not have a girlfriend?

No, I don't.

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Gwokto La'Kitgum

"Even a small dog can piss on a tall Building", Jim Hightower

Le Montréal d'amour d'I

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