In a shocking revelation that has sparked heated debate across Uganda, activist Nana MWafrica has accused Minister Balaam Barugahaara of rape, a claim that has ignited strong reactions on social media and in public circles. The accusations were shared in a post on her X (formerly Twitter) account, where Nana detailed a painful encounter she claims to have had with Balaam.
According to Nana Mwafrica’s post, the incident occurred sometime in early 2023, possibly February or March, while she was in Amsterdam. She wrote that she was reading about Balaam’s doctorate in Humanities when something about the article “triggered a pain within.” She recalls feeling overwhelmed by emotion, so much so that the person she was with at the time noticed and asked if she was okay.
“I would give them my phone to see what I had read & also share how the person I was reading about had once raped me. I was teary and visibly in pain. They held me & expressed how sorry they were about my experience,” Nana wrote. She also disclosed that she decided to reach out to Balaam by sending him a text message.
Nana further described a brief exchange where Balaam allegedly asked for her number and the two engaged in conversation. However, she says their communication ended with a simple exchange of text messages, and she claims Balaam did not call her as he had suggested.
In a series of leaked messages, allegedly from Balaam to Nana, the minister questions her motives. “Nnalongo, my sister in Christ. Who has hired you to blackmail me? What are you going through that has forced you to damage my reputation? Your tweet was sent to me by my first-born. How am I supposed to respond to my child? Your intentions are totally wrong and your tweet ain’t true,” the message reads.
Despite Nana’s serious allegations, a significant portion of the public has rallied in defense of Minister Balaam, with some suggesting that Nana’s timing and actions raise questions about the validity of the accusations.
One commenter asked, “How can an activist of @mwafrika_nana’s calibre be raped and go silent for all this time? What has changed, and why now? You claim that Balaam requested you to take him food to a certain place, but why you? TRUTH prevail.”
In contrast, another prominent activist, identifying as a “Boy Child Activist,” weighed in on the controversy, defending the minister. “As a man, never be quick to judge and throw stones at a fellow man who’s been accused of rape. You’ll be a fool. Failed girls use rape as a way of pulling down men they’ve failed to agree with. Many good men are rotting away in jail because of rape and defilement accusations. As a Men’s Rights Activist, I stand with @BalaamAteenyiDr, and so should any man who thinks straight.”
Balaam Barugahaara, an events promoter and youth minister, was appointed to his current role by President Yoweri Museveni last year. He is also known as a prominent supporter of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s presidential aspirations.
As of now, Balaam has not commented on the issue, and his office has declined to provide any official statement regarding the accusations.
