Over the past week, Anthony Natif, an activist, and Ronald Leornard Egesa, a strategist, have gone for each other’s throats over the scandals in the ministry of Works and Transport that implicate Commissioner Winstone Katushabe.
The Pandora’s box was opened by Andrew Natumanya, a rouble rouser who goes by the handle @NinyeTabz. Tabz and Natif initially fanned the flames of the scandal, then Egesa joined in. Egesa initially appeared to be on their side, but last week, after Tabz alleged that he had received “something” from Katushabe, the tables turned.
For the last three days or more, Natif and Egesa have exchanged sharply, calling the other all manner of names.
Bbeg Media will not unpack the vitriol, but for those who haven’t followed, here is our humourised version of their exchanges (it is made up). It excludes insults. We have decided to use their X handles. Enjoy!
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@TonyNatif: Uganda’s roads are full of potholes, but some pockets at the Ministry of Works are very smooth. If accountability were tarmac, this ministry would still be murram.
@NinyeTabz: Say it louder. Taxpayers deserve answers, not press statements and PowerPoints. We are tired of “investigations ongoing.” Investigate faster.
@regesa: Facts. Public money is not pocket money. Whoever is behind these shady Works deals must be named. Silence is complicity.
(Likes. Retweets. People comment: “🔥🔥🔥”.)
EGESA’S TONE CHANGES
@TonyNatif: Funny how when you touch certain offices, suddenly some people develop allergies to accountability. Must be air-conditioned corruption.
@NinyeTabz: When you ask for documents, they accuse you of “fighting someone.” No, sir, we are fighting theft.
@regesa (replying to a random account): Accountability is good. But let’s also be honest — not every noise on X is activism. Some of you are auditioning for contracts.
(People notice @regesa is no longer tagging the others.)
@regesa: I will say this once. There is a difference between fighting corruption and being hired to fight people. Some of you are not activists — you are guns for hire.
(Timeline freezes. Screenshots are taken.)
@TonyNatif: Guns for hire? Please tag the armoury, the contract, the invoice, and the bank alert. I’ll wait.
@NinyeTabz: This is disappointing. When facts fail, you attack character. Classic Works Ministry playbook.
@regesa: You can laugh, but Ugandans are not fools. You think we don’t see who is pulling strings? @amronaldo didn’t send you airtime for free.
@TonyNatif: So now I have a boss? Someone please send me his HR email. I need leave days. Also, for the record: I have never met, called, or texted Winstone Katushabe. If you have evidence, post it. Not vibes.
@NinyeTabz: Notice how the conversation has moved from “Are the deals clean?” to “Who paid who?” That’s not an accident.
Random User: This movie is better than Netflix.
WINSTONE KATUSHABE’S SHADOW
(Winstone Katushabe is never online, but always present.)
@regesa: Dragging civil servants through mud without proof is dangerous. Not every commissioner is a thief. Some people are settling scores.
@TonyNatif: Nobody dragged anyone. We asked questions. If questions scare you, maybe the answers are frightening.
@NinyeTabz: If everything is clean, why so much noise defending one man? The Works Ministry has lawyers, spokespersons, and PR budgets. Why do they need influencers?
(The irony is not lost on anyone.)
@regesa: Ugandans should know this is not about corruption. This is a war between @amronaldo and Winstone Katushabe, and some people chose sides for money.
@TonyNatif: If this is a war, I missed the briefing. No uniform. No salary. No medal. Just potholes and anger.
@NinyeTabz: The funniest part is calling this “a war” when the real victims are taxpayers driving on roads that look like crater experiments.
