Justine Nameere

Justine Nameere
Minister of State for Local Government
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 2026
Appointed byYoweri Museveni
Preceded byVictoria Rusoke Businge
Woman Member of Parliament, Masaka City
In office
2026-2031
Personal details
Born (1989-04-17) April 17, 1989
Masaka
CitizenshipUganda
PartyNational Resistance Movement
SpouseKennedy Nsubuga
Parents
EducationMakerere University (BA.Laws)
Alma materMakerere University, Kampala International University, Makerere University Business School
OccupationTelevision presenter, lawyer, politician

Justine Nameere (born 17 April 1989) is a Ugandan television host, lawyer, and politician who serves as the Minister of State for Local Government in the Uganda Cabinet.[1] She was appointed to that position on 26 May 2026, replacing Victoria Rusoke Businge.[2][3]She is the elected woman member of parliament for Masaka City under the National Resistance Movement.[4][5][6]

Early life and education

Nameere, who hails from Masaka, is the daughter of former minister of Defence and Veteran affairs Vincent Ssempijja, born on 17 April 1989. Her mother Jennifer Birabwa died when Nameere was 12 years old.[5]

She completed her primary education at Namugongo Boarding and continued to King's College Budo, where she was a member of the drama club and school band. She graduated with a first-class honours in a diploma in law from the Law Development Centre. She has a certificate in Business Administration from Makerere University Business School, and a certificate in Counselling and guidance from Kampala International University. She also undertook a bachelor's degree in Law from Makerere University.[6]

Career

Nameere began her media career at NTV Uganda, hosting the show Life Stories, which premiered on March 26, 2012. The programme, featuring interviews with individuals sharing unique and emotional experiences, won Television Programme of the Year at the 2012 Edutainment Africa Awards.[6] She later moved to Urban TV, where she presented the Sunday evening show Life and People. Less than a year later, Nameere transitioned to Bukedde TV, a Luganda-language station, co-hosting the program Minibuzz with Dickson Zzizinga for about three months. She resigned because she was pregnant and her health was not good.[7] In 2018, she joined Salt TV as host of Omunnyo Ku Makya, but was suspended within a month for alleged indiscipline towards her employers.[5]

She started an NGO in 2012, called Voice of the Pearl Foundation, which attended to people with severe health problems. She worked as a court clerk at Lukaya Magistrate Court in Masaka in 2011. She was a radio presenter with Best FM in Masaka, hosting the youth show on positive living in 2009.[6]

She entered politics in 2015, taking part in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries and winning the position of vice chairperson of the NRM Youth League in Kalungu District. She announced her intention to run for Youth Member of Parliament for the Central Region for the 2016–2021 term, but withdrew from the race for undisclosed reasons. Subsequently, she contested the MP seat for Bukoto East constituency but was defeated by Florence Namayanja.[5][8]

In the 2026 general elections, Nameere was declared the Masaka City Woman MP-elect after a contentious vote recount presided over by Chief Magistrate Abert Asiimwe, which overturned the earlier declaration of Rose Nalubowa of the opposition National Unity Platform as the winner by the electoral commission.[4][9][10]

Arrest and detention

In May 2026, shortly after being sworn in as the Woman Member of Parliament for Masaka City, Nameere was arrested by security personnel amid tensions surrounding the anticipated election of the Speaker of the 12th Parliament of Uganda and reported disagreements linked to political support for Anita Among Uganda's former speaker of Parliament.[11][12][13]

According to media reports, security operatives also conducted searches at her residence as part of investigations into alleged political mobilization activities related to the parliamentary speakership race.[14] She was later released and subsequently publicly distanced herself from efforts associated with Anita Among’s reported speakership campaign.[15][12]

Personal life

Nameere is inspired by Rebecca Kadaga and Christiane Amanpour of CNN. She likes documentaries and emotional television shows.[6]

See also

Joan Namutaawe

Balam Barugahara

References

  1. ↑ Asiimwe, George (2026-05-26). "Museveni Transfers Nankabirwa, Kiryowa; Appoints Tumukunde, Nameere in New Cabinet". ChimpReports. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
  2. ↑ Omara, Geoffrey (2026-05-26). "Museveni Elevates Nameere to Cabinet Days After Arrest in Speaker Saga". ChimpReports. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
  3. ↑ "Museveni unveils new Cabinet, retains Nabbanja, Alupo and Janet in key reshuffle". Monitor. 2026-05-26. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
  4. 1 2 "Magistrate declares Nameere Masaka City Woman MP-elect after vote recount". Monitor. 2026-02-02. Retrieved 2026-02-06.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Mugisha, Maxela (2019-07-29). "Justine Nameere: What went wrong? - Sqoop - Get Uganda entertainment news, celebrity gossip, videos and photos". Retrieved 2026-02-06.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "At just 23 she is changing lives". Monitor. 2021-01-07. Retrieved 2026-02-06.
  7. ↑ sqoopadmin (2017-11-28). "Nameere's celebrates detention of Red Pepper editors - Sqoop - Get Uganda entertainment news, celebrity gossip, videos and photos". Retrieved 2026-02-06.
  8. ↑ "Nameere challenges Nalubowa's victory in Masaka City Woman MP seat". Monitor. 2026-01-29. Retrieved 2026-02-06.
  9. ↑ "Complaints over Masaka City Woman MP vote recount". Monitor. 2026-02-02. Retrieved 2026-02-06.
  10. ↑ "Masaka Woman MP vote recount unearths gross mismatch in numbers". Monitor. 2026-02-01. Retrieved 2026-02-06.
  11. ↑ "Masaka Woman MP Justine Nameere arrested by army". The Observer. 16 May 2026. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Justine Nameere released, denounces Among's speakership bid". The Independent. 18 May 2026. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  13. ↑ "Masaka Woman MP missing after arrest, supporters demand release". NTV Uganda. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  14. ↑ "Security operatives reportedly recover Shs3.5bn from Nameere's home". The Investigator News. 16 May 2026. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
  15. ↑ "Masaka Woman MP Nameere released". Daily Monitor. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
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