The Minister of State for Local Government and Masaka City Woman Member of Parliament, Hon. Justine Nameere Nsubuga, has publicly denied allegations linking her to a dispute over the supply of coffee seedlings to farmers in Masaka City, insisting she neither supplied the seedlings nor benefited from the government programme.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Nameere sought to explain her role in the coffee seedlings project, saying she had petitioned President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni last year to support farmers in Masaka City with coffee seedlings, a request she said the President approved.
According to the minister, during the meeting with the President, Masaka City NRM Chairman Rogers Bulegeya requested to accompany her so he could also present his own request. She said she agreed out of goodwill, but alleged that Bulegeya later informed the President that he had millions of coffee seedlings available and successfully lobbied to be awarded the supply contract.
Nameere claimed that after securing the contract, Bulegeya failed to deliver the required seedlings within the agreed time. She further alleged that he later proposed what he described as an “air supply” arrangement and suggested they share the proceeds.
“I rejected this outright because I do not engage in corruption,” Nameere said, adding that she gave him 48 hours to begin supplying the seedlings or she would report the matter to the President.
The minister alleged that Bulegeya subsequently sourced seedlings from 14 local farmers but still failed to meet the required quantities, prompting her to brief the President. She said the President later authorised her to complete the distribution to the intended beneficiaries.
To safeguard the interests of the farmers, Nameere said she advised the State House Comptroller that any payment to Bulegeya should only be processed in the presence of all 14 farmers so that each supplier could be paid directly.
Addressing claims circulating on social media that she owes one of the farmers, Ms. Nanyange Cissy, UGX 150 million, Nameere dismissed the allegation as false.
She maintained that the money in question represents the total amount allegedly owed by Bulegeya to all 14 farmers who supplied the seedlings, not a debt owed by her personally.
According to Nameere, the matter was discussed during a meeting on Tuesday with Minister Balaam Barugahara, where she said the other farmers confirmed that Bulegeya had collected their seedlings. She also stated that the State House Comptroller had confirmed the supply contract was awarded to Bulegeya and that payment remains pending until he appears together with all the farmers involved.
The minister further linked the allegations against her to her opposition to the release of a suspect implicated in the alleged theft of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds. She alleged that unnamed individuals, including a minister she described as an ally of Bulegeya, were behind what she called an orchestrated campaign to tarnish her reputation.
“I do not deal. I do not steal. To avoid any conflict of interest, I do not supply government,” Nameere said in the statement. “I will continue to fight corruption without fear or favour. Ugandans deserve the truth, not orchestrated falsehoods.”
As of the time of publication, Rogers Bulegeya had not publicly responded to the allegations contained in Nameere’s statement, and his side of the dispute was not immediately available.
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