Junior Local Government Minister Justine Nameere has explained why she gave TikToker Benita 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 her decision was influenced by questions raised by her team regarding the information Benitah had provided about her situation abroad.

The minister said she initially wanted to offer the full $10,000, which is approximately Shs37 million, after learning that the TikToker was allegedly facing difficulties in Bahrain.

However, she said further inquiries raised concerns about some details surrounding Benitah’s claims, leading to a change in how the support was provided.

“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. Because you know the truth,” Nameere said in a video shared online.

The minister’s explanation followed accusations from Benita that Nameere had withdrawn her promise and failed to provide the amount she had pledged.

TikToker Benita had criticised the minister, accusing her of seeking public attention from her situation and changing her position after making the promise.

Nameere, however, rejected the accusations and said her intention was to genuinely help the young Ugandan after hearing about her reported struggles in Bahrain.

She explained that the matter was brought to her attention by Generations Official, who requested assistance on Benitah’s behalf.

According to Nameere, she became concerned after hearing that Benita was facing an emergency situation and immediately started looking for ways to help.

She said she contacted the Minister of Foreign Affairs to explore how the government could work with the Ugandan embassy responsible for Bahrain to assist Benita.

Nameere explained that officials requested certain documents from Benita to help verify the situation and facilitate possible arrangements for her return to Uganda.

However, the minister claimed that Benita did not provide the requested documents, which raised questions among her team about whether the situation was as urgent as it had initially appeared.

Nameere said this was surprising because Benita had sounded distressed during their conversations and appeared to be in serious need of help.

The minister also dismissed claims that her offer was aimed at gaining popularity or attracting attention on social media.

She said her responsibilities as a government official did not allow her to focus on online publicity and that her actions were based on her desire to assist.

Nameere said her advisers later recommended that the promised money should not be sent directly until Benita had returned to Uganda.

She explained that the intention was to ensure the funds were used appropriately and that the support reached its intended purpose.

According to the minister, Benita later requested shs5 million to help clear a debt she had in Bahrain.

Nameere said her personal assistant eventually transferred the shs5 million to Benitahafter the request was made.

The development has added another chapter to the public disagreement between the two figures, which began after Nameere publicly offered assistance following reports of Benita’s job loss abroad.

Benita later accused the minister of changing her mind about the promised $10,000 support, while Nameere maintained that her decision was based on information received from her team.

The controversy has attracted public attention, with many people debating issues surrounding online fundraising, public promises and the responsibility of public figures when offering financial assistance.

The matter also comes amid previous controversies involving Nameere, including disputes surrounding allegations from coffee seedling suppliers, which she has denied and responded to publicly.

As the disagreement continues, both sides have maintained their positions, with TikToker Benita insisting she was let down and Nameere defending her decision to provide a smaller amount after what she described as verification concerns.