Punch.ng have reported that the Ugandan Government have set aside plans to “invest” above 500,000 dollars every year in a porn eradication themed movement.
This intention of the Ugandan Government was made public yesterday, August 29 through Simon Lokodo, the Ugandan Minister of Ethics and Integrity (Ethics Minister hereinafter). According to the news source, Punch, Lokodo proceeded further to state that actual work have already commenced as the committee put in place to eradicate pornography in the “anti-porn” country have swung into action.
Reasons for this action is not far-fetched. The Ethics Minister believe Pornography is the “root” of all evil and wrongdoings carried out by citizens of the country. Going by Punch, “Lokodo blames Pornography for everything”. From drug abuse, to robbery, killings and all other crimes, the Ethics Minister rationale for all the listed atrocities points to nothing else but Pornography.
Lokodo, who happens to be a former Catholic priest, strongly reprehends pornography and holds porn and pornographic materials responsible for the snowballing cases of drug abuse among youths, teenage pregnancy and others.
“The display, sale and circulation of pornographic images in the print and electronic media is one of the key reasons we have escalating cases of drug abuse among youths, incest, teenage pregnancy and abortion, homosexuality and lesbianism and defilement,” Lokodo asserts.
The Anti-Pornography committee (that’s not the name of the committee though) was constituted on Monday and will have between 30 to 40 members and has Dr Annette Kezaabu Kasimbazi as Chairman. Dr. Annette is a journalism and communications lecturer at the Makerere University.
Lokodo revealed that the committee will be sufficiently financed to the tune of $556,000 (about Ush. 2 billion) to purchase top-end gadgets that will aid monitoring, interception, downloading, watching, sharing and or transmission of electronic pornographic material.
The Ethics Minister believes that Pornography is a menace to the growth of Uganda and will hinder the realization of the Ugandan dream. Lokodo also believes that Pornography is reducing the productivity of its labour force and if the country must move forward, the pornography bug has to be eliminated.
“Pornography is now eroding Uganda’s human resource and this will in turn hinder the achievement of our vision.” Lokodo said.
It should be remembered that the war against pornography in Uganda dates way back to 2014 when the Anti-Pornography Act, 2014, was passed into law.
The committee members are bestowed the power and authority to seize and destroy any pornographic material. In addition, they are also required to nab and prosecute perpetrators, carry out rehabilitation exercises on individuals infected with the pornography bug.
