A bitter dispute between a coffee farmer and a government minister over unpaid coffee seedlings has ended with a presidential intervention after days of accusations, political exchanges and public scrutiny.
The controversy erupted in Masaka City after coffee farmer Cissy Nanyange publicly accused State Minister for Local Government Justine Nameere of taking coffee seedlings worth millions of shillings for last year’s election campaigns without paying suppliers.
Nanyange’s claims sparked a storm, placing the minister at the centre of allegations that she had benefited from farmers’ produce without clearing their bills.
However, after a high-level meeting chaired by Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, the matter took a dramatic turn, with officials concluding that Nameere was not the contracting party responsible for paying the suppliers.
The meeting, attended by the minister, Nanyange and other coffee seedling suppliers, established that the seedlings had been sourced through Masaka City NRM Chairman Rogers Bulegeya, who had allegedly coordinated supplies from 14 farmers.
Following the intervention, President Yoweri Museveni directed that the suppliers be fully paid, bringing temporary relief to farmers who had complained of delayed payments.Minister Balaam Barugahara confirmed that the matter had been resolved after investigations into the conflicting claims.
“The issue raised by the coffee seedling suppliers in Masaka has been resolved. His Excellency the President, through the State House Comptroller Jane Barekye, will ensure that the suppliers are paid fully,” Barugahara said.
He explained that investigations revealed that the contract arrangement was between Bulegeya and the farmers, rather than between Nameere and the suppliers.
“The contract to supply the coffee seedlings was awarded to Chairman Bulegeya of Masaka. Hon. Justine Nameere only witnessed the arrangement and was not a contracting party to the suppliers, contrary to the allegations made by the lady yesterday,” Barugahara said.
The minister added that the dispute appeared to have been intensified by political disagreements and frustrations among seedling operators.“The matter appears to have been escalated due to political differences and the stress faced by the seedling operators,” he said.
Nanyange’s Accusation
The controversy began when Nanyange accused Nameere of failing to pay for coffee seedlings that she allegedly supplied for political activities ahead of the 2025 general elections.According to Nanyange, she supplied seedlings valued at about Shs150 million and had waited for months without receiving payment.
Her public complaints attracted attention after she raised the matter at a gathering in Masaka, demanding that authorities intervene and compel payment.Nanyange insisted that she was not fighting a political battle but seeking payment for agricultural produce supplied in good faith.
She argued that farmers who invested money, labour and resources into producing seedlings deserved to be compensated.The accusations put pressure on Nameere, forcing her to issue a detailed explanation defending herself and accusing her political opponents of using the dispute to damage her reputation.
Nameere’s Defence
Nameere rejected allegations that she personally acquired seedlings from Nanyange without payment.She said she had initially petitioned President Museveni to support residents of Masaka City with coffee seedlings, a request she said was approved by the President.
According to Nameere, NRM Masaka City Chairman Rogers Bulegeya later approached her and requested to accompany her to State House, where he presented himself as someone capable of supplying millions of coffee seedlings.
“During that meeting, the NRM City Chairman, Rogers Bulegeya, pleaded with me to allow him to accompany me so he could also present a request to His Excellency. Out of courtesy and goodwill, I agreed,” Nameere said.
She claimed that Bulegeya later misrepresented his capacity to supply seedlings and obtained the opportunity to coordinate the supply.“Mr Bulegeya subsequently misrepresented to His Excellency that he possessed millions of coffee seedlings and lobbied to be contracted as the supplier,” she said.
Nameere alleged that after receiving the opportunity, Bulegeya failed to deliver the required seedlings and instead suggested what she described as an “air supply” arrangement.“He proposed what he termed ‘air supply’ and suggested we share proceeds. I rejected this outright, as I do not engage in corruption,” she said.
She said she gave him 48 hours to begin supplying the seedlings or she would report the matter to the President. Nameere explained that Bulegeya later sourced seedlings from 14 farmers, including Nanyange, but still failed to complete the supply.
She said she advised the State House Comptroller that payment should only be made when all farmers who supplied seedlings were present so that each could receive their money directly.
The Shs200 Million Settlement
Following the intervention, a payment arrangement was brokered through State House Comptroller Jane Barekye.
Nameere agreed to facilitate payment of about Shs200 million to clear outstanding obligations linked to the seedlings.The arrangement was intended to ensure farmers received their money directly and prevent further disputes over who was owed what.
Sources familiar with the discussions said the settlement was designed to protect farmers while also separating political disagreements from contractual obligations.The development was welcomed by farmers who had feared losing their investment after months of waiting.
Faridah Nakazibwe Weighs In
The controversy also attracted commentary from media personality Faridah Nakazibwe, who questioned claims surrounding legal action and public accusations.
Responding to the saga, Nakazibwe referenced her own previous experience involving a defamation case and warned that public accusations do not always translate into legal victories.“The supplier doesn’t have to worry much. She also sued me for defamation in 2019, never showed up at all for any mediation seating. Not even her lawyer did,” Nakazibwe wrote.
She claimed she had waited for evidence of a court ruling from that case but never received one. “I waited for her to share a copy of the judge’s ruling. Up to date, I am still waiting,” she added.
Nakazibwe cautioned that public personalities should be careful when making allegations against others. “Good to note though that….not everyone is defamable,” she said.
Political Fallout
Beyond the unpaid seedlings, the dispute exposed deeper political tensions within Masaka’s ruling party structures.Nameere accused individuals she described as political rivals of exploiting the issue to tarnish her image.
She claimed the accusations emerged shortly after she opposed the release of a suspect linked to alleged theft of Parish Development Model (PDM) funds.
“A certain Minister, who is a known ally of Mr Bulegeya, was the one demanding that [the suspect be released],” Nameere alleged.She argued that the dispute had been transformed from a financial disagreement into a political campaign against her.
“I do not deal. I do not steal. To avoid any conflict of interest, I do not supply government,” Nameere said.She maintained that she would continue supporting government programmes while fighting corruption.
Farmers Caught Between Politics and Business
The Masaka coffee seedlings dispute highlights challenges faced by small-scale agricultural suppliers who often depend on government-linked programmes for markets.
For farmers like Nanyange, the issue was simple: they supplied seedlings and expected payment.For Nameere, the matter became a question of political reputation and allegations of corruption.
The presidential intervention appears to have provided a solution to the immediate financial dispute, but questions remain over procurement processes and accountability when government-supported programmes involve politically connected individuals.
As farmers await payment, the Masaka seedling saga has become a reminder of the delicate intersection between politics, business and public programmes in Uganda.
Author Profile
- Charles Gazza Kodili is a seasoned journalist with over 20 years of experience in the media industry. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication. He’s currently the Chief Editor at the Investigator.
Charles can also be reached via; Tel: +256 774 108978
Email: [email protected]
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