KAMPALA: City entrepreneur, businessman and motivational speaker, Nelson Tugume has been dragged by Engineer Mwine Musa on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) over allegedly failing to clear Shs 1.5 million – in arrears after the said Engineer supplied concrete products for the construction of his Coffee Factory in Ntungamo.
The Inspire Africa Coffee founder is constructing a multi-million Coffee Factory in Ntungamo off a USD 20 million grant by government that Coffee Value Chain stakeholders jointly lobbied from President Museveni but was wired directly to Mr. Tugume’s accounts, according to reports.
Speaking to The Ugandan Wire, Mr. Mwine decried disrespect on the part of the businessman towards him in spite of him being aware of his contractual obligations to clear the balance but adamantly refusing to pay it off. Mwine further told us that the 1.5m was negotiated down from 2.5m that hadn’t been cleared for them to end the transaction but Tugume still refused to honor that.
The deal was allegedly to the tune of over 40 million but the businessman has been paying at his own comfort and with Shs 1.5 million negotiated as the balance left to clear, he lost his cool after constant reminders to clear it and he snapped at the Engineer.
“What kind of engineer keeps demanding for 1.5 million?” Mr. Tugume reportedly asked Mwine Musa who noted that he is aware that Tugume instructed his Finance personnel not to honor payment of the balance.
Breaking the ice on his X platform, Musa decried the constant-taking-for-granted-behavior that people exhibit towards local start-ups with total disregard of their operations and survival.
“My company is going under because of doing business with Inspire Africa Coffee and Tugume Nelson. We suffered huge losses over a period of about a year. Ultimately, we agreed that he can pay 1.5m for the concrete products made for his factory in Ntugamo. 6 months now, no cash for us.” Musa cried out.
He also informed this publication that Tugume seized his concrete block making machines and couldn’t let go of them until a mediator stepped in to help. All this while refusing to clear the balance.
“To make it worse, Tugume [Nelson] and his associates seized my concrete making machines until I engaged a mediator. Is this a trait of successful business men? I am yet to learn.” Musa further said on his X platform.
Musa says he will be taking matters up legally and has instructed his lawyers to that effect. Efforts to reach Mr. Tugume for comment were futile as phone calls to his known phone number went unanswered.
We shall keep you posted.
