Former Minister of State for Ethics & Integrity in the Office of the President of Uganda, Father Simon Lokodo has passed away.
The news of his passing has Saturday morning been confirmed by the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) where he has been a member. The body says the former Minister died from Switzerland where he has been hospitalized for days.
“It’s with great shock and pain that we‘ve 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.May the Almighty Rest His Soul in Eternal Peace,” announced the Commission.
In a tweet, the speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah has commiserated with the deceased’s family.
“Commiserations to the family of Fr Simon Lokodo, former Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity, and Dodoth West Member of Parliament, who at the time of his death served as member of the Uganda Human Rights Commission. May his soul rest in eternal peace,” writes Jacob Oulanyah.
Born in Kaabong District on 28 October 1957, Simon Lokodo held a degree of Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the Pontifical Urbaniana University and his Master of Arts in Theology was also obtained from the same university of Rome.
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 ex-communicated from the Catholic Church by Pope Benedict XVI when he entered politics.
He won the special election and began representing Dodoth County, Kaabong District, in the Parliament, a position he held until January 2021 when he lost it during the general elections.
In February 2009, he was appointed to the cabinet as the Minister of State for Industry and Technology. In the cabinet reshuffle of 27 May 2011, he was relocated to the Ethics and Integrity portfolio, replacing Nsaba Buturo.
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.