A government anti-corruption campaign in Nyendo, Masaka City, took an unexpected turn after a local coffee farmer publicly confronted State Minister for Local Government Justine Nameere, accusing her of failing to pay UGX 152 million for coffee seedlings allegedly supplied during the 2026 election campaign.
The dramatic incident occurred on Monday, July 27, 2026, during the launch of the Greater Masaka anti-corruption campaign led by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara. The heated exchange attracted the attention of residents, local leaders and officials, with many members of the public recording the confrontation on their mobile phones as tensions escalated.
According to Nanyange Cissy, a coffee nursery operator, the dispute centres on coffee seedlings she claims were supplied to Nameere during her 2026 political campaign. Cissy alleged that the minister requested the seedlings with a promise that payment would be made later, but despite repeated demands, she has never received the money.
The visibly emotional farmer told those gathered that the unpaid debt had crippled her business and appealed to the government to help her recover the money.
The confrontation briefly overshadowed the anti-corruption campaign, whose primary objective was to encourage accountability, expose abuse of office and promote transparency in public service.
Responding to the accusations, Minister Nameere strongly denied the claims and challenged Cissy to present documentary evidence to support her allegations. She insisted that the accusations were false and maintained that she had not defrauded the farmer.
The incident also revived earlier allegations that surfaced during the 2026 election period, when Nameere was accused of failing to pay several suppliers who reportedly provided goods and services during campaign activities. Those claims, which the minister has consistently denied, also included accusations that some individuals attempted to discourage media coverage of the dispute.
Justine Nameere, the NRM Woman Member of Parliament for Masaka City, was recently appointed State Minister for Local Government after a highly contested 2026 election in which she successfully overturned an initial victory that had been declared in favour of the National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate.
The confrontation has since sparked widespread debate both in Masaka and on social media, with many Ugandans calling for an independent investigation to establish the facts surrounding the allegations. Others have urged both the farmer and the minister to present any available evidence so that the matter can be resolved transparently.
As of now, the allegations remain contested, with no official investigation or findings announced by the relevant authorities.
