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NUP to consider party loyalists in 2021 general elections

Robert Kyagulanyi and Sempala Kigozi

National Unity Platform (NUP) has announced that as a party, they will consider and support those candidates who have been loyal to the party during the struggle.

This has come in when the National Unity Platform is facing the dilemma on who should be endorsed as a flag bearer in a number of constituencies, especially in the central region.

The problem has been aggravated by the defection of what one would describe as political heavy weights such as Mayors and MPs to NUP.

The defectors know that they will automatically be the NUP flag-bearers, however, there are people power “historicals” who are close to Robert Kyagulanyi, the NUP leader and have already shown interest in standing.

Some areas where there is this challenge include; Rubaga north with James Mubiru Moses Kasibante and Abubakar Kawalya who are vying for member of parliament position, Joseph Mayanja aka Jose Chamerion and Latif Ssebagala on Kampala city mayor ship among others.

Earlier today while addressing journalists at NUP secretariat in Kamwokya, Mercy Walukamba the chairperson of People Power National Elections Management Committee noted that as a party they know whoever has supported the party from the beginning and such people will be having the party support because they have shown loyalty.

She says that there are many people who are fighting to be on the NUP ticket yet they are not working hard to support the party.

Walukamba explains that they will also consider other criteria like academic level, citing that to stand as MP or district chairperson is minimum senior six, councilors senior four etc.

Adding that they will also consider the ability to manage the campaigns financially, able to express themselves and they are able to support the party.

However, to some candidates, the criteria of considering the loyalists is not good because there are people who were not with people power from the beginning but they will be able to serve the part once supported.

They argue that it will bring confusion as well since whoever has come up to support the party, no matter at what point, they all love the party.

Patience Nantege Jackie the aspiring member of parliament Kyadondo east on NUP ticked says that the things that should be considered should be based on capability, people person among others, not considering loyalty because they will leave out many people.

Ivan Sentongo who is an aspiring member of parliament of Mukono municipality where the incumbent MP Betty Namboze also is likely to stand on people power ticket, says that if loyalty will be looked at in a broad way, they will get good candidates.

He however notes that if they consider only those people they started with, it will leave out many who are capable and they are willing to help the party achieve its goals.

According to sources from National Unity Platform, NUP is still a young party which cannot carry out party primaries and therefore, it is the party leaders who should decide on who to front as a flag-bearer.

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Eddy Kenzo named Uganda’s tourism ambassador

kenzo

Singer Idrisa Musuza commonly known as Eddy Kenzo has been named Uganda’s Tourism Ambassador.

He has been unveiled by the State Minister for Tourism Godfrey Kiwanda Suubi. Kenzo is expected to market the country’s tourist attractions on the international scene.

Eddy Kenzo joins the campaign to push forward majorly three Tulambule campaigns. The campaigns include Twende Uganda campaign whose purpose is to increase the awareness amongst the east African community (EAC), Destination Uganda campaign- targeting the rest of Africa and the Pearl of Africa Tourism Campaign whose target is the international scene.

“In such a dull period of the pandemic, A voice of hope and  reassurance is what we need to soldier on, and Eddy Kenzo’s Music has been that Instrumental voice that’s restored hope, built confidence and showcased our strength to move forth,” Mr. Kiwanda said.

He said that while there have been other personalities that have taken on showcasing the beauty of the Pearl on their own personal made fame, Eddy Kenzo’s fame and following are a resource to utilise in marketing our own country.

In his remarks, Eddy Kenzo emotionally narrated how Kiwanda called to ask him how much it would take him to market his own country in 2017 after he was appointed Kenya’s tourism Ambassador.

“It’s from this background that he felt so touched and decided that once his contract with Kenya ended, he would willingly market Uganda’s Tourism and as a destination at no cost.”

Kenzo handed his best international awards to Uganda National Museum in 2018 to act as an inspiration for the young generation, and increase the numbers of museum visitors.

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Court to rule on dismissal of DTB’s defense in the Sh120bn fraud case

dtb

The Commercial Division of the High Court has set 5th October as the date to rule on a high-profile case between City tycoon Hamis Kigunddu and Diamond Trust Bank (DTB).

The Commercial Division will deliver the ruling after Hamis Kigunddu’s lawyers led by Fred Muwema floored DTB’s defense team led by Kiryowa Kiwanuka.

Justice Peter Adonyo will deliver the ruling.

Kiryowa Kiwanuka,or KK,as he is fondly known in the legal circles, conceded a legal own goal after admitting in court that DTB Kenya is not licenced to operate in Uganda and thus illegally accessed Kigunddu’s accounts held in DTB Uganda.

“DTB Uganda helped DTB Kenya to do an illegality. DTB Uganda facilitated DTB Kenya to do an illegality in Uganda,”said Counsel Muwema, Kigunddu’s lawyer.

Kiwanuka’s admission triggered suspicion that DTB Kenya and DTB Uganda may be colluding to either evade taxes or under-declare profits since their transactions are conducted behind the back of Bank of Uganda,the regular of commercial banks.

With no license to do business in Uganda, Kigunddu’s lawyers warned that it was illegal for DTB Kenya to debit Shs 120bn from his account.

Kigunddu’s lawyers have warned that DTB Uganda’s conduct violates the Finance Institutions Act,2004.

Kigunddu’s lawyers contend that DTB Kenya illegally debited Shs34b and $23m from his accounts, amounts over and above the loan facility he had with DTB Uganda.

Kigunddu had staked a prime plot on Makerere Hill Road as security for the loan facility.

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Court summons Bobi Wine over false documents

Bobi Wine

Wakiso Chief Magistrates Court has summoned Presidential aspirant and Kyadondo East Member of Parliament, Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu aka Bobi Wine over cases of providing false documents and giving false information.

The summons follows an application filed by a renowned lawyer Male Mabirizi contesting the MP’s year of birth saying that it is not true that Bobi wine sat for Uganda certificate of education exams at the age of 14.

According to Court summons, the MP is required to appear before Count on the 16 September 2020. He was required to answer charges of giving false information contrary to section 115 (a) of the penal code act, obtaining registration by false pretense contrary to section 312 of the penal code act and uttering false documents contrary to section 315 and 347 of the penal code act.

Last month Mabirizi petitioned Uganda electoral commission to avail him with academic papers which the MP filed when he contested in Kyadondo East.

The availed academic papers indicate that the MP failed mathematics at ‘O’ level and general paper at ‘A’ level. This sparked discussions on whether the MP is suitable to lead the country after failing the two subjects. On the other note, the MP missed a first grade by one aggregate at ‘O’ level.

And yesterday Bobi wine said: “The issue of my academic documents and age have been brought up to derail our struggle. I want to encourage all the students out there who miss exams because they haven’t paid fees on time that I went through the same.”  He said adding that the world is looking for people who have done something, not how they did it.

Below is the statement regarding his academic documents and age

I was born on February 12th 1982 in Nkozi. My brother Julius Walakila, who I follow- same father, same mother, was born on 23rd October 1979 according to all his official records. There is no way I would be born on 12th February, 1980, only four months after the birth of my elder brother.

I started school in 1986 at St. Mary Gorreti Nursery School in Kamwokya.

For my P.1, I went to City Primary School (now Arya Primary School) in Kamwokya in 1987.

For my P.2. I went to Kanoni UMEA (Uganda Muslim Education Association) in 1988. That is where I learnt reciting Islamic prayers that have stayed with me to-date.  For my P.3. I went to Kasaka Primary School in 1989 still in Gomba.

For my P.4. And P.5. I went to Kanoni Catholic School from 1990 up to 1991.  For my P.6 I went to St. Aloysius Bukalagi Primary School in 1992.

While I was at Bukalagi in P.6, my father went and requested Mr Kato, the headmaster of my former school, Kanoni Catholic School to allow me register and sit P.7. Exams there. I therefore spent my third term of P6 in P.7.  I registered there and sat for PLE in 1992.

My father was advised that in order for my age to match with that of other candidates who included my elder brother Julius Walakila who was sitting PLE at Bukalagi the same year, he needed to increase my age by two years. That is when my year of birth was altered from 1982 to 1980. Despite sitting PLE without studying P.7, I passed my exams well.

But I would continue with this anomaly in age throughout my education both at S.4, S.6 and university education. Nine years ago, in 2011, my late father, J.W. Ssentamu talked about this story and the video recording is available. Similarly, 14years ago, in 2007, my elder brother Eddy Yawe was interviewed by the New Vision – an extract of which is available. He also spoke of how I skipped P.7 and sat PLE. The same fact is spoken of in previous different interviews by my elder brother Chairman Nyanzi. From as far back as 2008, I have done several interviews in which I spoke of this story.

Therefore, it was at the point of getting my first Passport in March the year 2000 that I decided to correct this anomaly in my date of birth to reflect the real which is February 12th 1982. I remember swearing an affidavit to reflect this change, which is what was required at the passport office at the time.

I saw some misguided people claiming that I changed my age at the time I was joining Parliament in 2017. No. All my records outside the academic documents since 2000 bear my true year of birth.

Regarding the arrangement and spelling error in my names, I swore a Statutory Declaration in 2017 as required by law, and filed it accordingly. It was the basis of my nomination as Kyadondo East Member of Parliament. At that time, I also applied for verification of my UNEB results and they were verified.

I hope this clarification brings comfort to all those well intentioned supporters and comrades who might have been worried about these schemes.

I have been a law abiding citizen who values and treasures integrity, my shortcomings here and there notwithstanding. If my legal team deems it fit to undertake any other steps to clarify these issues in light of the most recent jurisprudence, they will do so, and I will inform you friends accordingly. For now, we stand confidently right before the law and any other moral code! The detractors as we say, will die in their own movie!

Back to my education, when I proceeded to Secondary School, I went to St. Maria Goreti Katende in 1993 for my S.1. First term.

For my S.1 second term up to senior three, I was at Brain-trust Academy in Rubaga. That was from 1993 to 1995.  For my S.4. I went to Kitante Hill School and that is where I sat for my UCE in 1996. For my S.5. First term, I went to Alliance Advanced Secondary School in Kamwokya in 1997.

For my S.5. Second term, I went to Lubiri Secondary School in 1997. That was the time I lost my mother.  For my S.5. third term, I went to Kololo Senior  Secondary School, still in 1997 and stayed there until I completed Senior Six (S.6) in November/ December 1998.

I was admitted to Makerere University for a Bachelors Degree of Social Sciences in 1999. I studied for the whole year (majoring in anthropology, political science and economics), but later dropped out of the course on account of lack of tuition.

 I applied for a Diploma in Music Dance and Drama (MDD), Makerere University because I was aiming at getting a government scholarship and also because I had started picking a lot of interest in music and drama.

In the year 2000, I was admitted on government scholarship to  study Music, Dance and Drama and I graduated in 2003.

The good thing is that for all my school life and for each of the schools I have mentioned, I studied with some people who are now prominent in society and hopefully some of them will one day tell the story.

As it is well known, in August 2016, I decided to go back to school- this time to pursue legal studies. I joined the International University of East Africa (IUEA) in Kansanga for my Law degree. A few months later when Cavendish University opened its law school in Kamwokya, I transferred from IUEA because Kamwokya was much nearer to my workplace (firebase) than Kansanga.

I also did a short course on Leadership for the 21st Century at Harvard, and I am currently enrolled at the Southern New Hampshire University for further studies.

I have had to put both my studies at Cavendish and SNHU on halt on account of the busy schedule and the ongoing persecution. God willing and time permitting, I hope to complete both courses at the right time.

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UGANET and partners launch bodily autonomy and integrity campaign in Uganda

Ms Dorah Kiconco Musingunzi

The Uganda Network on Law, Ethics and HIV/AIDS (UGANET) and its partners have launched ‘My body is not a democracy’, a campaign peddled at supporting National Advocacy on Bodily Autonomy and Integrity in Uganda.

It was launched by UGANET in conjunction with Uganda Key Populations Consortium (UKPC), Uganda Network of Young People Living with HIV/AIDS (UNYPA) and the AIDS & Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA).

Speaking at the launch Ms Dorah Kiconco Musingunzi the Executive Director UGANET said the program will ensure everybody’s voice is hard and respected in order to promote and protect everyone’s human right and community engagement and inclusion.

“There is denial of SRHR services and information due to age, race. HIV status and gender norms/stereotype have influenced the increased incidence of violence on AGYWs (Teenage pregnancies, Forced marriages, FGM etc.),” She said at the Naguru Skyz Hotel

Ms Musinguzi stressed that UGANET in this partnership with UNYPA, UKPC, ARASA and other Civil Society Organizations will continue working with the government to advocate for one’s body as integrity and autonomy.

“Today we ask the policy makers gathered here to ensure that they bridge the gaps of inequality, revise the HIV/AIDs criminalization law, and repeal every policy and law that marginalizes human rights.

“The criminal justice system needs to bring to book the perpetrators, and more than magnify what makes us different, lets us celebrate what makes the same, our humanity, our human rights.” She added.

The program also aims at providing possible solutions for young people to get awareness on the basic concept of bodily autonomy and integrity and also help them acknowledge and understand the fact that bodily autonomy and integrity are a basic human right.

That project that will run for the next two years to help young people acknowledge the fact that the right to bodily autonomy and integrity in Uganda is not respected where there are harsh realities.

It will also foster, nurture and remind this generation about Teenage pregnancies which is obviously and evidently still reoccurring, child and forced marriages plus HIV/AIDs related stigma and discrimination in communities

Bruce Tushabe who represented the Executive Director of Uganda Network of Young People Living with HIV/AIDs said that this program will help to achieve a number of things, singularly the coalition among Civil Society Organizations will help bring together young people in protection of one’s body autonomy with self-independence and Integrity.

Asuma Basalirwa, a Member of Parliament Bugiri Municipality stressed that there are fundamental problems that should be addressed even when there is a broken justice system.

“It’s important to take keen interest in broadening our interests in advocating for human rights especially the freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

Dr. Daniel Byamukama Executive Director Uganda Aids Commission implored UGANET and other Civil Society Organizations for attracting and lobbying for international support and asked them to continue demanding for accountability.

He said he had the government to partner and support them on such programs and that they will always provide avenues for NGOs to continue pushing for such campaigns.

Byamukama added that Uganda AIDs Commission as a prevention center would like to hear that everyone’s rights are respected and promoted and they will provide an avenue for this.

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MP Kato Lubwama: My first term was for me to ‘eat’

kato lubwama

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Rubaga South Kato Lubwama has said that his first term in Parliament was for him ‘to eat’ and if voted back in 2021, he will now ‘eat with his voters’.

During an interview on a local TV, Lubwama said that his supporters sent him to parliament in 2016 to enjoy the cash bonanzas as a legislator.

In the forthcoming 2021 general elections, he is requesting them to send him back so that they can now enjoy the money together.

“Last time, I told my people in Rubaga South to vote for me so that I can also eat but I’ve finished eating. Now I want them to vote for me so that we eat together this time,” Kato Lubwama said.

The MP was asked why he has not joined Bobi Wine’s political party National Unity Platform (NUP) and he said he’s a bigger brand than NUP.

“I am bigger than NUP. I can only make an alliance with NUP so that they can also grow their brand,” he claimed.

He also assured journalists that he has already won in Rubaga South and that no one can defeat him.

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Covid-19: 90% of countries experience disruptions to essential health services

Covid-19 testing kits

The World Health Organization (WHO) indicative survey on the impact of COVID-19 on health systems based on 105 countries’ indicates that 90 per cent of the countries experienced disruption to its health services, with low- and middle-income countries reporting the greatest difficulties.

Data collected from five regions over the period from March to June 2020 illustrates that most countries reported that many routine and elective services have been suspended, while critical care such as cancer screening and treatment and HIV therapy has seen high-risk interruptions in low-income countries.

“The survey shines a light on the cracks in our health systems, but it also serves to inform new strategies to improve healthcare provision during the pandemic and beyond,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “COVID-19 should be a lesson to all countries that health is not an ‘either-or’ equation. We must better prepare for emergencies but also keep investing in health systems that fully respond to people’s needs throughout the life cause.”

Services hit across the board: Based on reports from key informants, countries on average experienced disruptions in 50% of a set of 25 tracer services. The most frequently disrupted areas reported included routine immunization  outreach services (70%) and facility-based services (61%), non-communicable diseases diagnosis and treatment (69%), family planning and contraception (68%), treatment for mental health disorders (61%), cancer diagnosis and treatment (55%).

Countries also reported disruptions in malaria diagnosis and treatment (46%), tuberculosis case detection and treatment (42%) and antiretroviral treatment (32%). While some areas of health care, such as dental care and rehabilitation, may have been deliberately suspended in line with government protocols, the disruption of many of the other services is expected to have harmful effects on population health in the short- medium- and long-term.

Potentially life-saving emergency services were disrupted in almost a quarter of responding countries. Disruptions to 24-hour emergency room services for example were affected in 22% of countries, urgent blood transfusions were disrupted in 23% of countries, and emergency surgery was affected in 19% of the countries.

Disruption due to a mix of supply and demand side factors. 76% of countries reported reductions in outpatient care attendance due to lower demand and other factors such as lockdowns and financial difficulties. The most commonly reported factor on the supply side was cancellation of elective services (66%).  Other factors reported by countries included staff redeployment to provide COVID-19 relief, unavailability of services due to closings, and interruptions in the supply of medical equipment and health products.

Adapting service delivery strategies. Many countries have started to implement some of the WHO recommended strategies to mitigate service disruptions, such as triaging to identify priorities, shifting to on-line patient consultations, changes to prescribing practices and supply chain and public health information strategies. However, only 14% of countries reported removal of user fees, which WHO recommends to offset potential financial difficulties for patients.

The pulse survey also provides an indication of countries’ experiences in adapting strategies to mitigate the impact on service provision.  Despite the limitations of such a survey, it highlights the need to improve real-time monitoring of changes in service delivery and utilization as the outbreak is likely to wax and wane over the next months, and to adapt solutions accordingly.

To that end, WHO will continue to work with countries and to provide supportive tools to address the fallout from COVID-19. Given countries’ urgent demand for assistance during the pandemic response, WHO is developing the COVID19: Health Services Learning Hub, a web-based platform that will allow sharing of experiences and learning from innovative country practices that can inform the collective global response. WHO is also devising additional surveys at the sub-national level and in health facilities to gauge the longer-term impact of disruptions and help countries weigh the benefits and risks of pursuing different mitigation strategies.

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Kadaga calls for grassroots screening for cancer

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has reiterated her call to the Uganda Rotary Cancer Program to further spread their message to get to the lowest person so as to improve the country’s statistics about cancer.

Officiating at the Rotary Virtual Cancer Run 2020, Kadaga, commended the team for their dedication and drive towards eradicating cancer in the country and thanked participants and sponsors of the run.

Unlike past years where runners converged at the Independence Grounds in Kololo for the event, this year saw participants running from different locations and sharing pictures and videos over social media. This was meant to avoid gathering, one way to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

“Today we are here to celebrate the resilience of the Rotary family in fighting this disease called cancer. In March this year no one would have predicted that we cannot sit together or plan together because of the pandemic,” she said in Muyenga on 30 August 2020.

“Nonetheless you did not allow this situation to stop the annual run which is now in Uganda and the whole world. I will continue to urge you to go down to the very last Ugandan in the deepest of villages so that we can improve on the statistics,” she said.

She said that she was looking forward to a time when cancer screening becomes routine which would lead to its early detection and treatment.

The Chairperson of the Uganda Rotary Cancer Program and District Past Governor, Steven Mwanje, said that they have embarked on creating awareness and offering free services in the villages.

“We want to create awareness in the population, offer free screening and ultimately free treatment; building infrastructure and finally building human resource capacity to deal and treat with the cancer patients,” he said adding that “With the support of Nsambya Hospital, we go around the country offering free screening services.”

The Chairperson Rotary Cancer Run, 2020, Dennis Jjuuko thanked all the sponsors of the Rotary Cancer Run for their donations which have helped them raise substantial resources that have built the Rotary Cancer Centre located in Nsambya Hospital in Kampala.

“I thank all those who ran and I continue to encourage you to exercise regularly, eat healthy foods and endeavor to test for cancer regularly as it is still a dangerous disease,” Jjuuko said.

The District Governor Rosetti Nayenga, said that Rotary committed to serve humanity, and believes in disease prevention and treatment hence their drive to spread the message of wellness, improving and expanding services towards health care.

At the event, the Rotary family paid tribute to the fallen film star of the Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman, who died of Colon Cancer.

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Visa squashes transaction charges in new ‘sasuza visa’ campaign

Visa Uganda Country Manager, Ms. Salma Ingabire

Visa, the world’s leader in digital payments, has today launched a consumer education campaign that aims to eliminate the practice of surcharging, where merchants levy extra charges on payments made using debit or credit cards at a Point of Sale (POS).

Dubbed ‘Sasuza Visa’, the campaign comes at a time when the country is battling with the novel Coronavirus pandemic and Ugandans are encouraged to protect themselves by adopting cashless payments, physical distancing and good hygiene practices.

Speaking about the campaign, Visa Uganda Country Manager, Ms. Salma Ingabire said, “We have seen an increasing demand among consumers and merchants to take advantage of the benefits of cashless payments in light of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.  At Visa, we are working with our partners to ensure that our capabilities are made widely available and updated specifically to help meet today’s challenges. This includes ensuring that merchants do not surcharge consumers who are using their Visa card to pay for goods and services.”

As part of the campaign, Visa will be partnering with various service providers such as supermarkets and fuel stations to ensure customers do not suffer unnecessary charges or delays and enjoy the convenience of paying with their Visa card.

The ‘Sasuza Visa’ campaign comes just under a year after the Bank of Uganda issued a circular prohibiting the practice of surcharging by merchants announced that extra charges were illegal and traders should stop levying them.

According to the Central Bank, no business owner is allowed to set a minimum or maximum amount as a condition to using electronic card payments.

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Ham exposes DTB in court

Kampala businessman, Hamis Kiggundu has asked the Commercial Division of the High Court to throw out the defence evidence presented by Diamond Trust Bank in a row involving the two parties

Kiggundu, the proprietor of Ham Enterprises Limited and Kiggs International (U) limited dragged DTB -Uganda, and DTB-Kenya to Commercial Court for fraudulently siphoning over sh120b from his accounts without his knowledge and consent*

On Monday, Kiggundu’s lawyers led by Fred Muwema raised a preliminary objection in which they said they had filed an application to move court to struck out DTB’s defence arguing that it is based on illegalities.
“The defences are based on illegal transactions including the loan agreements which were made in Kenya lending in Uganda. DTB Uganda facilitated an illegality by allowing DTB Kenya to break the law in Uganda,”Muwema said.

*The lawyer explained that because DTB Kenya is not licensed to carry out financial services in Uganda*, it was wrong to carry out any business with Hamis Kiggundu and that it was wrong for the bank to use their counterparts, of DTB Uganda to help them enforce the loan agreement in Uganda.

The lawyer argues that the court should find it logical to dismiss the evidence by DTB Uganda for helping another bank carry out an illegality.

Muwema said that if their application is successful in an October,5, 2020 ruling by the trial judge, Henry Peter Adonyo, there will not be need for any further hearing of the case.

According to court documents, Kiggundu provided security/mortgage comprised in Plot no.923, Block 9 located at Makerere Hill Road to support the credit facilities he had got from DTB but the businessman says when he carried out an audit and reconciliation of the loan accounts, he found out that the DTB had taken shs34 billion and $23 million from his account.

The businessman wants court to declare that DTB breached the different loan agreements entered into with him between February 16, 2011, and November 16, 2019 when it fully recovered over and above what was due to it through the loan installments and interest payment deductions .

In its defence, DTB argues that the businessman through his tow companies obtained credit facilities from them and provided securities in the form of property to secure the credit facilities.

The bank argues that the facility agreements entered into between the parties are legally binding and enforceable under the law and that the deductions and charges made against the plaintiff’s accounts were in accordance with the credit facilities issued to them.

According to the bank, the businessman’s issuance of notices to it purporting to terminate their bank-customer relationships, it remains liable to settle its payment obligations and fulfill the terms of the mortgage instruments

*Court adjourned to 6th October 2020*

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