Simon Lokodo (28 October 1957 – 29 January 2022) was an Ugandan politician who served as Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity in the Office of the

President of Uganda The president of the Republic of Uganda is the head of state and the head of government of Uganda. The president leads the executive branch of the government of Uganda and is the commander-in-chief of the Uganda People's Defence Force. The in ...

since 2011. Previously, he was the Minister of State for Industry from 2009 to 2011. He also served as the elected Member of

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

representing Dodoth County,

Kaabong District Kaabong District is a district in the Northern Region of Uganda. The district headquarters are in the town of Kaabong. Location Kaabong District is bordered by South Sudan to the northwest, Kenya to the northeast and the east, Moroto District to ...

since 2006 until he lost his Parliamentary seat in January 2021 after so many of his previous accusing him of supporting the act removal of age limit from the presidential aspirants. He also served as a member of the

Uganda Human Rights Commission The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) serves to monitor and advance human rights in Uganda. The UHRC is a body established under the 1995 Constitution Article 51 under the Bill of Rights found in Chapter four of the Constitution. It is bas ...

Background and education

Lokodo was born in

on 28 October 1957. Simon Lokodo held the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the

Pontifical Urbaniana University The Pontifical Urban University, also called the ''Urbaniana'' after its names in both Latin and Italian,; it, Pontificia Università Urbaniana. is a pontifical university under the authority of the Congregation for the Evangelization of People ...

. His

Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( la, Magister Artium or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA, M.A., AM, or A.M.) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Tho ...

in Theology was also obtained from the same university of Rome. He also held the Diploma in Rural Sociology, the Diploma in Social Communication, the Diploma in Philosophy & Social Science and the Certificate in Italian Language. He obtained his

Diploma in Theology The Bachelor of Theology degree (BTh, ThB, or BTheol) is a three- to five-year undergraduate degree in theological disciplines and is typically pursued by those seeking ordination for ministry in a church, denomination, or parachurch organization. ...

, from

Makerere University Makerere University, Kampala (; Mak) is Uganda's largest and oldest institution of higher learning, first established as a technical school in 1922. It became an independent national university in 1970. Today, Makerere University is composed of ni ...

, Uganda's oldest university; founded in 1922. Lokodo also held a Certificate in German Language obtained from an institution in

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

and a Certificate in French Language, obtained from an institution in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

Political career

At the age of 49, Lokodo first entered politics to contest a special election on 29 June 2006, following the death of the incumbent member of parliament. He was suspended from his priestly duties by

Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...

when he entered politics. He won the special election and began representing Dodoth County, Kaabong District, in the parliament. In February 2009, he was appointed to the cabinet as the Minister of State for Industry & Technology. In the cabinet reshuffle of 27 May 2011, he was relocated to the Ethics & Integrity portfolio, replacing

Nsaba Buturo James Nsaba Buturo is a Ugandan politician. He was the Minister of State for Ethics & Integrity in the Office of the Vice President of Uganda, Vice President in the Cabinet of Uganda from 1 June 2006 until his resignation on 15 March 2011. In th ...

. In the cabinet reshuffle of 1 March 2015, he retained his cabinet post. He was well known for challenging homosexuality in all forms. In 2012, he and the police raided and shut down a gay activist workshop. He was quoted as saying, "I have closed this conference because it's illegal. We do not accept homosexuality in Uganda." He also blamed foreigners, saying they should "go back home". Amnesty International condemned the raid. In 2014, Stephen Fry interviewed Lokodo in '' Stephen Fry: Out There'', where he was quoted as saying "...men raping girls. Which is natural." Fry later revealed in 2016 that he had tried to commit suicide in the hours after the interview. In February 2014,

dress code A dress code is a set of rules, often written, with regard to what clothing groups of people must wear. Dress codes are created out of social perceptions and norms, and vary based on purpose, circumstances, and occasions. Different societies an ...

legislation was enacted, aimed primarily at women. Clothes that are considered revealing or

sexually provocative Sexual suggestiveness is visual, verbal, written or behavioral material or action with sexual undertones implying sexual intent in order to provoke sexual arousal. There are variations in the perception and display of sexual suggestiveness, inc ...

were to be outlawed; "If you dress in such a way that you irritate the mind and excite the people then you are badly dressed; if you draw the attention of the other person outside there with a malicious purpose of exciting and stimulating him or her into sex," Lokodo stated. He served as the elected Member of

representing Dodoth County,

until he lost his Parliamentary seat in January 2021. At the time of his death on 29 January 2022, he was serving as a member of the Uganda Human Rights Commission.

Personal life and death

Lokodo was reported to speak and write fluent

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

, and

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...

. He died in Geneva on 29 January 2022, at the age of 64.

References

External links

Website of the Parliament of Uganda

Website of the State House of Uganda

Full Ministerial Cabinet List, June 2006

Full Ministerial Cabinet List, February 2009
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lokodo, Simon 1957 births 2022 deaths People from Kaabong District Makerere University alumni Members of the Parliament of Uganda Government ministers of Uganda National Resistance Movement politicians Rape Ugandan Roman Catholics People excommunicated by the Catholic Church People from Northern Region, Uganda 21st-century Ugandan politicians

Background and education

Political career

Personal life and death

See also

References

External links