Nameere: Why I gave Benita Shs5m instead of $10,000

• Justine Nameere says her team questioned Benitah's account of losing her job in Bahrain.

• The minister had promised Benitah $10,000 but eventually sent her Shs5 million.

• Nameere says Benitah requested the Shs5 million to clear a debt in Bahrain.

• The explanation follows Benitah's accusations that Nameere withdrew her $10,000 promise and sought social media attention.

Junior Local Government minister Justine Nameere has explained why she sent TikToker Benitah Shs5 million instead of the $10,000 she had promised after reports that the Ugandan had lost her job in Bahrain.

Nameere said her team later established that Benitah had not been truthful about the circumstances surrounding her reported dismissal.

"Benita, I am aware that you apologised and it's not a bad thing. But tell people the truth why you only got Shs5 million instead of $10,000 (about Shs37 million). Because you know the truth," Nameere said in a video shared by Sean Stylez Exclusive on TikTok.

The minister spoke after Benitah accused her of backing away from the $10,000 promise. Benitah had also branded Nameere a "grifter" and accused her of seeking attention from her situation.

Nameere said she initially knew nothing about Benitah's troubles in Bahrain. She said Generations Official brought the matter to her attention and appealed for help on Benitah's behalf.

According to Nameere, she became concerned after hearing that Benitah was going through a difficult situation abroad.

She said she contacted the Foreign Affairs minister to explore how the government could work with the embassy responsible for Bahrain and help Benitah return to Uganda.

Nameere said officials then asked Benitah to provide the documents needed to facilitate her evacuation.

However, she claimed Benitah failed to provide them. Nameere said her team took this as an indication that the situation was not as urgent as initially presented.

She said this surprised her because Benitah had cried during their telephone conversation and appeared to be in an emergency.

Nameere also rejected claims that she had offered the money to attract attention online. She said her ministerial duties left her with little interest in chasing social media trends.

According to Nameere, her handlers advised her against sending the promised $10,000 directly to Benitah. They proposed keeping the money until she returned to Uganda.

Nameere said Benitah expressed doubts about the arrangement, but she assured her that she would receive the money.

Benitah then requested Shs5 million to clear a debt in Bahrain, according to the minister.

Nameere said her personal assistant transferred the Shs5 million to Benitah.

The explanation marks another turn in a public dispute that started after Nameere pledged to support Benitah following reports that she had lost her job in Bahrain.

Benitah later accused the minister of making a U-turn on the $10,000 promise and claimed Nameere had raised concerns about comments she considered disrespectful.

The fallout also revived discussion about Nameere's previous dispute with Masaka coffee seedling suppliers.

In September 2025, several nursery operators accused Nameere of failing to clear payments for seedlings supplied during her political activities. Nameere rejected the accusations and said the suppliers had been partly paid, with the balance due under an agreed arrangement.

The dispute later reached police. In April 2026, a journalist and two TikTokers were arrested following complaints from Nameere over social media content about the coffee seedling allegations.