Simon Lokodo, the Former Ethics Minister, Has Died

Former Ethics Minister Father Simon Lokodo died in Geneva, Switzerland, according to a tweet posted by the Uganda Human Rights Commission, where he was a member.

KAMPALA | LIFESTYLE UGANDA (https://lifestyleuganda.com/) — Ugandan politician Simon Lokodo, who served as minister of state for ethics and integrity in the office of the president since 2011, has died.

• Rev Father Simon Lokodo, Uganda’s former ethics and integrity minister, has died.
• The UHRC announced that Simon Lokodo, a member of the body, died in Geneva, Switzerland.
• Father Lokodo became famous for challenging homosexuality in all its forms.
• Lokodo, born October 28, 1957, was 64 at the time of his death.

Announcing his death on the Twitter account of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, where he was a member, former Ethics Minister Father Simon Lokodo passed away in Geneva, Switzerland.

UHRC wrote in a tweet shortly after Uganda Media Centre (UMC) executive director Ofwono Opondo announced the news on Capital FM’s political talk show, the Capital Gang.

“It’s with great shock and pain that we have learnt of the passing of our Honourable Member of the Commission, Fr. Simon Lokodo. He passed on this morning in Geneva, Switzerland. The Commission will share details in due course,”

Anita Among, the Deputy Speaker of the 11th Parliament of Uganda, noted that Uganda has lost a leader who had devoted himself to his work and had a great deal of life left to live.

“My deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of Hon. Fr Simon Lokodo ,the people of Karamoja and the Country.The Country has lost a Leader who served with dedication and had so much life ahead of him. May his Soul find eternal rest,” tweeted Anita Among, the deputy speaker.

Simon Lokodo is a former priest who was known for promoting conservative values. He served as Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity between 2011 and June 2021, when he was out of the cabinet. He was appointed two months later as a commissioner for the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC).

The Inspectorate of Government (IG) presented Simon Lokodo with an award in July 2021 for his considerable contributions in the fight against corruption and immorality, in addition to his role in founding the Inter-Agency Forum, an organization dedicated to fighting corruption and other financial crimes.

Mariam Wangadya, the former deputy IGG, hailed Father Lokodo’s tireless efforts in establishing the Leadership Code Tribunal 25 years after the promulgation of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, and for his contribution to amending the Leadership Code Act, which provided the IGG with adequate teeth to bite non-compliant leaders and public officers.

Currently, Wangadya is chairing the UHRC, where Father Lokodo has been a member for many years.

From 2009 to 2011, the then Dodoth County MP (Kaabong District) served as Minister of State for Industry in addition to his Ethics portfolio.

After the death of the incumbent MP for Dodoth County in June 2006, Simon Lokodo entered politics for the first time at the age of 49. He was excommunicated from the Catholic Church as a result when he entered politics.

On February 9, 2009, he was appointed to the cabinet as the Minister of State for Industry and Technology. On May 27, 2011, he took over Nsaba Buturo’s ethics portfolio. In March 2015, he kept his cabinet post.

Lokodo became controversially popular for challenging homosexuality in all its forms and for denying what he called indecent dressing.

During a 2012 raid by the Ugandan police and Lokodo, a gay activist workshop was shut down. Lokodo said, “I have closed this conference because it’s illegal. Uganda doesn’t accept homosexuality.”

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