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Health Ministry refutes Bad Black’s allegations
Shanita Namuyimbwa, aka Bad Black
The Ministry of Health has refuted as malicious, allegations made by socialite Shanita Namuyimbwa aka Bad Black that she was promised money in addition to helping her meet President Museveni, in exchange for her acceptance to record a promotional video to support the government’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
This comes after Black Black issued an intension to sue the government for alleged failure by Precision media, the agency that to take her to meet President Museveni and failure by the same entity to pay her money.
Through her lawyers Musangala Advocates and Solicitors, Bad Black alleges that:
“About the 29th day of April, Ms. Kisembo Ronex Tembo of Precision Communications Consulting Limited acting as an agent of Ministry of health approached our client and asked her to record a paid advert sensitizing the public about the dangers of CIVID-19 and to encourage the ladies especially those resident in areas near the country’s borders to avoid indulging with truck drivers.
Our client was informed that the advert would be used by the government of Uganda to sensitize the masses, and that our client would be paid for the advert.
Bad Black’s lawyers claim that: “To date our client has never been taken to meet the president as agreed, nor has she been paid any money for the said advert.
“Our client therefore complains of having been used, duped, deceived and tricked into recording an advert for the government, under a false promise.”
Bad Black is demanding UGX500m for the advert and UGX50m for damages accruing from the inconveniences and mental anguish she has suffered.
In response, the Ministry of Health, refuted the allegation saying that Bad Black consented to recording a message on voluntary terms.
The Ministry’s statement reads in part thus:
Following the call by H.E the President to the general public to donate or provide free services towards the prevention of COVID-19, a number of companies came out to support the ministry of health with some offering a number of items while others supporting in terms of the services they offer.
It is therefore against this background that Precision Communications Consulting Limited came out and donated Media Production Services to the Ministry of Health under close supervision of the Ministry of Health. All content and messaging was cleared by the Ministry of Health.
Additionally, Precision Communications Consulting Limited approached various key personalities who voluntarily recorded messages as a way of giving back to their country in this COVID-19 fight, among whom was Bad Black. All these individuals were requested to voluntarily participate, and they consented before any recording was made.
Bad Black, in particular consented to record a message that was appealing to her colleagues who were at risk of contracting COVID-19, and would thus spread it to other members of the community.
The Ministry would like to reiterate that this was done on solely voluntary terms and no contractual or financial obligations were attached to any of the personalities including Bad Black.
The ministry would like to reiterate that all key personalities including Bad Black has no contractual or financial obligations with the Government of Uganda.
The messages sent out by Bad Black tantamount to blackmail since no contractual obligations were made between herself and government.
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