By Wamala Sipirian
Published: September 18, 2026
State Minister for Local Government and Masaka City Woman MP Justine Nameere has publicly apologised to Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba following a dispute that has exposed tensions involving senior figures within the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU).
The apology came days after Muhoozi, the PLU chairman and Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, gave Nameere seven days to apologise over remarks contained in a video clip that circulated publicly.
On September 16, Muhoozi said on X that Nameere had seven days to apologise and warned that failure to do so would have consequences. The ultimatum followed the circulation of a shortened video that appeared to show Nameere making critical remarks directed at him.
However, subsequent reporting indicated that a longer version of the video showed Nameere addressing PLU Secretary General and Kasambya County MP Daudi Kabanda rather than Muhoozi.
The dispute had already escalated after Muhoozi warned that Nameere could be removed from Cabinet if she continued to “misbehave.”
“If Nameere is misbehaving, it’s a very simple problem. We shall remove her from the cabinet. That’s a very simple thing,” Muhoozi wrote on September 15.
Nameere’s apology represents a shift in the public dispute, which had unfolded through social media and statements involving senior PLU figures.
Dispute Over Masaka Parliamentary Seat
Kabanda has also been drawn into the controversy after publicly questioning Nameere’s election as Masaka City Woman MP.
According to reports cited by the source, Kabanda disputed the legitimacy of Nameere’s victory and called for a fresh parliamentary election.
“She didn’t win genuinely. The people of Masaka City deserve a by-election,” Kabanda wrote, according to Pulse Uganda.
The dispute over the parliamentary seat is separate from the video controversy but has added to the political pressure surrounding Nameere.
Nameere is currently facing a legal challenge from National Unity Platform candidate Rose Nalubowa over the outcome of the Masaka City Woman MP election.
Nalubowa was initially declared the winner after the January 2026 elections, with the Electoral Commission placing her ahead of Nameere.
Nameere challenged the result, prompting a court-supervised recount. The recount overturned the initial declaration and resulted in Nameere being declared the winner with 25,502 votes, while Nalubowa received 23,176 votes.
Nalubowa subsequently challenged the recount in court, seeking scrutiny of the process that produced the revised result.
Court Challenge Scheduled for September 22
The Masaka High Court is scheduled to hear Nalubowa’s petition on September 22, 2026.
According to the source, Nalubowa’s lawyers have told court that they want the legality of the recount that resulted in Nameere’s victory determined.
The court case is unfolding alongside the public dispute involving Nameere, Muhoozi and other PLU officials.
Previous Video Controversy
The latest dispute follows another controversy involving a viral video of Nameere and claims concerning former Speaker Anita Among.
Nameere previously told Muhoozi that a clip suggesting she was planning a celebration for Among had been edited from an older recording.
She said the original video concerned business opportunities associated with the swearing-in season.
The series of controversies has placed Nameere under increased public scrutiny as she continues to serve as a government minister, legislator and figure within the PLU political structure.
Her apology addresses one aspect of the confrontation with Muhoozi, while the separate dispute over her parliamentary victory remains before the courts.
The Masaka High Court’s September 22 hearing is expected to consider the legal challenge to the recount that changed the initial electoral result.
For PLU, the episode has also brought disagreements involving its senior figures into wider public view, including questions raised over party discipline and Nameere’s relationship with senior officials.