KAMPALA, Uganda — Minister of State for Local Government, Justine Nameere Nsubuga has pledged $10,000 to Ugandan TikToker Benita Nakabugo after the social media personality lost her job in Bahrain amid an online political backlash.
Nameere also offered to help Nakabugo secure alternative employment if her former employer, The Matcha Space, does not reverse its decision.
The minister condemned what she described as threats, incitement and blackmail directed at Nakabugo following her political comments after Uganda’s 2026 presidential election.
“I wish to condemn the acts of inciting and threatening violence and blackmail against Benitah,” Nameere said.
“She is a blameless jolly fellow who wakes up in the morning, posts some videos and goes to work. She has a constitutional right to employment and to her political views.”
Nakabugo caught in political backlash
Nakabugo, who uses the TikTok name Benitah256MadamViolence and has more than 1.2 million followers, recently announced that she had lost her job at The Matcha Space in Bahrain.
The development followed a social media dispute sparked by comments she made after Uganda’s presidential election.
Nakabugo reminded supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) that their candidate had lost the election and that President Yoweri Museveni would be sworn in.
Her comments angered some opposition supporters, with the dispute later extending to her workplace after The Matcha Space posted a video featuring her.
Ugandan social media users subsequently targeted the company’s online platforms, with some posting accusations against Nakabugo and others leaving negative reviews on Google.
Nakabugo later blamed NUP supporters for the loss of her job and appealed to them to stop contacting her former employer.
However, The Matcha Space has not publicly explained the circumstances surrounding the end of Nakabugo’s employment, meaning the precise reason for the decision remains unclear.
Nameere offers financial support
Nameere said she became aware of Nakabugo’s situation while on a field assignment and subsequently established contact with her.
“Luckily, we are in touch with her; I was in the field when I got to know about her situation. I assured her that nothing bad will come to her,” the minister said.
Nameere said efforts had also been made to explain the controversy to Nakabugo’s former employer.
“It took a while to try to explain to her bosses … that someone out of pure evil intentions can do something bad to another because of politics,” she said.
The minister said she wanted the company to understand that Nakabugo should not be defined by the accusations circulating online.
“We sought to inform the company that she was not what she was being described as and that the attacks on their business accounts were by ill-intentioned people who wanted to blackmail her,” Nameere said.
She said she would welcome a decision by the company to retain Nakabugo.
“If they carry on employing her, we shall be grateful. If, however, they choose to let her go, we shall get her another job,” she said.
Nameere then announced that she would personally provide financial assistance to the TikToker.
“In fact, I have directed my bank and my personal assistant to get her bank information. I am sending her 10,000 dollars,” she said.
The minister linked the support to the continued authority of President Museveni, saying the gesture demonstrated that “President Museveni is still in charge.”
Minister questions political attacks
Nameere also criticised opposition supporters whom she accused of targeting Nakabugo because of her political views.
She questioned why Nakabugo should be expected to support the same political position as her critics.
“The NUP people who are attacking that girl, when you come out to attack President Museveni and his family and we who are serving in the NRM and call us all kinds of names, whom do you consult first?” she asked.
“What makes you believe that she owes you anything and ought to have the same views as you?”
Her comments come against a backdrop of heightened political tensions following Uganda’s 2026 election, with social media increasingly becoming a battleground for supporters of rival political camps.
Job dispute raises questions over online campaigns
Nakabugo’s case highlights the potential consequences of politically charged social-media campaigns extending beyond Uganda’s borders and into people’s workplaces.
The dispute escalated after the Bahrain-based business posted content featuring the Ugandan TikToker, prompting users to direct criticism towards the company.
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Some users also posted negative Google reviews, turning a political disagreement involving an individual into a campaign targeting a private business.
While Nakabugo has attributed her job loss to the backlash, the employer has not publicly confirmed that online pressure was the reason for ending her employment.
That distinction is important because the circumstances surrounding the employment decision have not been publicly established.
For now, Nameere says she is prepared to support Nakabugo financially and help her find another job if she cannot return to her previous position.
The minister’s intervention adds a political dimension to an already contentious dispute involving social media, employment and freedom of political expression.
