A mystery surrounding the failure of singer Jose Chameleone’s television station, Leone TV, has resurfaced after the musician accused a consultant identified only as Isabirye of taking his money without delivering.
However, Joel Isabirye, the alleged consultant, later came forward with a public statement disputing Chameleone’s account and offering a different explanation for why the station never went on air.
The controversy began on Monday, 9 November 2026, when Chameleone, while on a TikTok live with Bruno K and Lil Pazo, shared what happened to his much-anticipated television station.
Chameleone claimed he paid a man he identified only as “Isabirye” UGX 250 million to establish Leone TV, only for the consultant to pay for a test signal and pocket the rest.
Chameleone further claimed that he dragged the man to court over this matter. According to his account, Isabirye offered to refund UGX 10 million, an offer Chameleone declined after consulting his father, Gerald Mayanja.
Fighting back…
On Tuesday, 10 November, 2026, media consultant Joel Isabirye released a statement titled Why Chameleone’s TV failed to take off: Consultant’s response, disputing almost every major aspect of Chameleone’s account.
Isabirye began the statement by asserting that the matter had never reached a commercial court, and by describing Chameleone’s claims of taking a consultant to court as false.
He then explained that Jose Chameleone approached him in 2020 to establish Leone TV, but the project stalled at UCC because the singer failed to meet the regulator’s financial capacity requirements.
He maintained that UCC documents supported his account, adding that Chameleone could still secure a licence if he had met the regulator’s financial and other requirements.
On the disputed UGX 250 million, Isabirye denied receiving the amount, noting that total spending on Leone TV was no more than UGX 70 million.
In the statement, the expenditure covered UGX 10 million for control room computers, UGX 23 million for UCC application and licensing fees, UGX 12 million in consultancy fees, UGX 17 million for renting an encoder and decoder, and UGX 4 million for studio and office space in Makindye.
Isabirye added that all transactions are backed by receipts and deposit slips, copies of which were shared with Chameleone’s now ex-wife, Daniela Atim, through weekly project reports at the singer’s request. He also questioned the source of the alleged UGX 250 million, insisting that Chameleone should account for the money if he received it.
Isabirye further suggested that the money could have been a government donation.
Defending his professional record, Isabirye cited another television project he had handled for a Ugandan politician. According to him, the politician’s Masaka-based television station went on air because the donor funding received was used appropriately.
Interestingly, the controversy comes as Jose Chameleone promotes his upcoming Unlimited: The Final Chapter show, slated for 4 December 2026.
