Junior Local Government Minister Justine Nameere has explained why TikToker Benitah received Shs5 million instead of the $10,000 she had earlier promised to support her after reports that she had lost her job in Bahrain.Nameere said she initially intended to provide the full amount but changed her decision after her team raised concerns about some of the information Benitah had provided regarding her situation.
The minister said she also contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to explore ways of helping Benitah return to Uganda, but officials requested documents that she allegedly failed to provide.According to Nameere, her advisers later recommended that the promised money should not be sent directly until Benitah returned to Uganda.
She said Benitah later requested Shs5 million to clear a debt in Bahrain, prompting her personal assistant to transfer the money.“Tell people the truth why you only got Shs5 million instead of $10,000. Because you know the truth,” Nameere said in a video shared online.Benitah had accused the minister of withdrawing her promise and using her situation for publicity. Nameere rejected the allegations, saying her intention was genuinely to help but that verification concerns influenced her final decision.The dispute has since sparked debate online over public promises, fundraising and the responsibility of public figures when offering financial assistance.
