How Hon. Justine Nameere Overcame State House Arrest, Weathered Masaka’s Opposition Storm to Become NRM’s Maiden Woman MP

By Brian Mugenyi

Masaka City has for decades stood as a political battlefield where opposition politics flourished like wild grass after the rain, leaving National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidates struggling to plant roots. Yet in the fiercely contested 2026 parliamentary elections, one woman walked through political fire, survived intimidation, overcame what her supporters described as political isolation and emerged victorious against all odds. That woman was Justine Nameere.

Her journey to Parliament was neither smooth nor ordinary. It was a path marked by resistance, legal battles, criticism and moments of immense political pressure that tested her endurance like gold refined in a furnace.

Supporters say Hon. Nameere weathered what they termed “political state house arrest” during the tense electoral period, where movements of some NRM mobilisers were allegedly monitored and restricted amid rising political tensions in Masaka City. Yet despite the pressure, intimidation and fierce hostility from opposition strongholds, she remained politically unshaken.

In the end, the storm could not sink her ship.

On February 1, 2026, Masaka City Chief Magistrate Albert Asiimwe officially declared Hon. Nameere as the duly elected Woman Member of Parliament for Masaka City after a dramatic vote recount exercise that lasted two tense days.

The recount exercise had turned Masaka City into a political theatre. Supporters of both the National Resistance Movement and the National Unity Platform camped around court premises and Electoral Commission offices as anxiety gripped the city.

When the final declaration came, Hon. Nameere had polled 25,502 votes against 23,721 votes garnered by Rose Nalubowa.

Her victory immediately entered the political history books, making her the first elected NRM Woman Member of Parliament for Masaka City — a region long regarded as an opposition fortress.

Political observers described her triumph as “teaching a fish how to swim in opposition waters.”

Speaking shortly after her victory, an emotional Hon. Nameere attributed the milestone to God, family, friends and loyal NRM supporters who stood by her throughout the political turbulence.

“I thank the Almighty God for this achievement. I thank my family, friends, traders, market vendors, small-scale businesspeople and all NRM supporters who remained strong with us during this difficult struggle,” she said.

Her grassroots mobilisation strategy became one of the defining factors behind her success. Like a seasoned farmer preparing the garden before planting season, Hon. Nameere traversed nearly every corner of Masaka City, beginning her campaigns in Kimanya and Ssenya villages before extending her outreach across Kyamuyimbwa and surrounding communities.

She spoke directly to traders burdened by taxes, youth struggling with unemployment and ordinary residents frustrated by corruption and poor service delivery.

“I want to work for all people without segregation. The issue of overtaxing poor traders and businesspeople must be addressed,” she repeatedly told supporters during campaign rallies.

Her political visibility was further strengthened by her close ties with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and Speaker Anita Among, relationships that boosted confidence among NRM supporters in Masaka.

Born to former Agriculture Minister Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, Hon. Nameere also built her reputation as a lawyer and proprietor of TM TV in Masaka City.

Throughout the campaigns, she positioned herself as a fearless crusader against corruption, land grabbing and injustice — issues that continue to affect many residents in Greater Masaka.

One of the defining moments of her campaign came during President Museveni’s rally at Masaka Liberation Square on January 22, 2026. Before thousands of supporters, Hon. Nameere boldly raised concerns over insecurity affecting NRM supporters, corruption among city officials and excessive taxes imposed on traders.

Her remarks attracted applause from sections of the crowd and later prompted discussions among government officials regarding the plight of traders operating in Masaka City.

Despite her historic victory, political analysts argue that her biggest challenge now lies in uniting a deeply divided political landscape. Masaka City remains politically polarised, and she must now bridge the gap between NRM supporters and opposition-leaning residents if meaningful development is to be realised.

Still, supporters insist her victory has already altered the political map of Masaka City.

For many NRM loyalists, Hon. Justine Nameere’s triumph symbolises resilience, political patience and the return of the ruling party’s influence in a region where opposition politics had long cast a dark shadow.

In politics, storms often separate ordinary leaders from extraordinary ones. For Hon. Nameere, surviving political pressure, overcoming opposition resistance and emerging victorious has already secured her place in Masaka City’s modern political history.