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Museveni, Kagame and Salva Kiir in Kenya for Standard Gauge Railway

President Yoweri Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni, Paul Kagame of Rwanda as well and Salva Kiir are today expected to be hosted President Uhuru Kenyatta for the 14th Summit of the Northern Corridor Integration Projects (NCIP) at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

The NCIP is a multilateral development initiative established in 2013 aimed at speeding up development and improvement of infrastructural sector for ease of movement of people, goods and services in the region.

Among the key projects expected to feature prominently during the meeting is the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) where significant progress has been made with Kenya having successfully completed the Mombasa-Nairobi line and embarked on the Nairobi-Naivasha section which is now at 50 percent completion.

In Rwanda, preliminary engineering design of the new SGR line from Kampala to Kigali was completed in January 2018 while in South Sudan, preparation for a bankable feasibility study for the Nimule-Juba SGR line is on-going and is expected to be complete by December this year. Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) Contract for the line has been signed and the process for obtaining a commercial loan from China EXIM Bank is in its early stages.

Further, the leaders will assess and provide leadership on the progress being made in power generation, transmission and interconnectivity, a function that is being coordinated by Kenya.

The leaders will also review progress made in immigration, tourism, trade, labour and services; single customs territory; mutual Defence cooperation; mutual peace and security cooperation; and airspace management.

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BoU to enforce punitive measures on non-compliant banks

Bank of Uganda's Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile

Kampala: Bank of Uganda (BoU) has vowed to enforce punitive measures on banks for non-compliance with supervisory directives.

Every year Supervision Report is released to inform the public about issues relevant to the prudential regulation and financial soundness of Uganda’s financial sector, an evaluation of performance of the financial system, and an assessment of risks to financial stability.

According to the just released 2017 Annual Supervision Report, there were 24 commercial banks in operation at the end of last year. BOU conducted on-site examinations of all commercial banks using the risk-based supervision methodology, with a special emphasis on areas that pose the highest risk to financial institutions.

According to report, as result of their failure to enforce BOU directives, some banks’ information communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and banks’ core banking systems were obsolete, with weak embedded IT controls and unable to adequately support operations, leading to routine operational challenges.

“There was also misreporting of data in the statutory returns submitted by banks to the BOU as well as in the data submitted by banks to the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB)…,” reads in part of the report.

Among the findings, many banks’ systems cannot adequately assess money laundering/terrorism financing risks, and support robust financial reporting therefore BOU will, indicts the

Among the key supervisory concerns arising from the onsite examinations of commercial banks, in a number of banks there were weaknesses in the composition of board committees, succession planning for board members and senior management.

The report indicates that there were delays in addressing vacancies in key positions of banks’ organizational structures. For regional and international banks, the key concerns related to risks that emanate from over reliance on the parent companies for operational support.

At the end of December 2017, commercial banks met the regulatory minimum capital adequacy requirements. The consolidated banking industry core and total regulatory capital adequacy ratios (regulatory capital to risk-weighted assets) improved from 17.3 percent and 19.8 percent to 20.9 percent and 23.2 percent respectively in 2017.

This improvement is largely attributed to better profitability leading to a 30.1 percent increase in banks’ retained earnings, from USh.1.6 trillion in 2016 to USh.2.1 trillion in 2017.

The capital position of the banking industry was also reinforced by the write-off of Crane Bank’s accumulated losses, which had, in 2016, significantly reduced the aggregate industry capital position.

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Group D: Nigeria, Argentina renew World Cup rivalry

Ahmed Musa and Messi will be the players to lead their countries.

With Croatia having already qualified from Group D, Argentina, Iceland or Nigeria still have a chance to join them in the next round.

Nigeria and Argentina will lock horns once again, this time at Saint Petersburg Stadium, with ambitions of both teams to advance to the knockout stages of Russia 2018.

Nigeria are in second place and feature the youngest side of the tournament, and will prove to be a tough opponent for Argentina to break down.

Argentina’s aim is clear, they need to win, and hope Iceland don’t beat Croatia. A draw for Nigeria against Argentina will be enough, provided that Iceland don’t beat Croatia. Iceland need Argentina and Nigeria to draw, and then if they can beat Croatia by two goals or more. If Iceland and Argentina both win then it will come down to goal difference.

After an abysmal performance by Nigeria losing 2-0 in the first game, the Super Eagles impressed in their fixture against Iceland that they won 2-0 and they hope to show the same character against Argentina.

Argentina have one point from their opening two games after a 1-1 draw with Iceland, followed by a shock 3-0 defeat to Croatia.

Coach Sampaoli is in talks to be dismissed following his side’s potential exit, though a second-place finish today would likely maintain his position as head coach until the end of the tournament.

The Super Eagles have lost all four of their previous World Cup group games against Argentina (1-0 in 2002 and 2010, 2-1 in 1994 and 3-2 in 2014).

Lionel Messi’s brace was matched by Ahmed Musa in 2014, before a goal from Macros Rojo early in the second half. Both Messi and Musa are likely to be on the field in Saint Petersburg once more.

Marcos Rojo is available to be called upon in the defence and Angel Di Maria is expected to play a part after being dropped to the bench in the previous game.
The match will be played at 9pm Ugandan time.

Possible lineups:
Argentina: Caballero (GK), Salvio, Otamendi, Rojo, Tagliafico, Mascherano, Perez, Di Maria, Messi, Meza, Aguero.
Nigeria: Uzoho (GK), Omeruo, Troost-Ekong, Balogun, Ebuehi, Mikel, Ndidi, Moses, Etudo, Musa, Iheanacho.

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Banks will continue to embrace agent banking- Deputy Governor Louis Kasekende

Dr. Louis Kasekende.

Kampala: The Deputy Governor for Bank of Uganda Louis Kasekende says regulated commercial Banks will continue employing licensed banking agents to transact with their customers in terms of and collecting deposits.

Speaking at a workshop for Board Members of Supervised Financial Institutions at Imperial Royale Hotel, Mr Kasekende said agent banking is in line with 2016 amendments to the Financial Institutions Act (FIA) that enable banks to make significant changes to their business models.

“These changes give banks the potential to expand their business and at the same time to reduce their operating costs and improving service delivery,”

In principle, he cautioned banks to establish a presence in localities where it would not be cost effective to operate a conventional brick and mortar branch, thereby extending access to banking services to the population.

He said Boards of Directors have a crucial role to play in ensuring that their financial institution implements proper accounting practices.

“Therefore it is essential that Directors to have a thorough understanding of the changes to financial reporting required by International Financial Reporting Standards 9 (IFRS 9) and how these will be implemented in practice,” he said.

He said financial institutions will be allowed to offer Islamic financial products, which products are on both the liability and asset side of the balance sheet which don’t involve an explicit interest payment.

“Even if a bank does not charge an explicit interest rate on a loan, it still has to cover all of the costs of providing finance, the costs of capital, the transactions costs and the expected costs of loan losses through other types of income charged to the borrower,”

Safeguards must be put in place for both lenders and borrowers, entail complex issues and it will be essential for Boards of Directors to fully understand these issues and if their financial institutions are intending to offer these products to their customers.

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Family Division court judge passes on

The Late Lady Justice Jessica Naiga Ayebazibwe

Kampala: Judiciary has announced the sudden passing of Lady Justice Jessica Naiga Ayebazibwe few hours after she had just returned from shopping.

According to Solomon Muyita the spokesperson for judiciary, Justice Ayebazibwe has been imposed for some time however she was in the near future expected to return for work.

“Family members informed us that they spent part of the day shopping in preparation for an introduction ceremony however when they returned home she decided to take tea and she immediately went to sleep,” he said.

He said when they checked on her at around 8:00pm she was unconscious. They rushed her to Malcolm Clinic where she was pounced dead.

Muyita said her family members will convene to discuss burial arrangements which will later be communicated to the general public.

Justice Ayebazibwe has been working with Family Division court following her appointment to the judiciary in 2014.

She is survived by three children and a widower Peter Bananuka.

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One person shot dead at Karuma

Brig. Karemire, Confirmed the death.

One person is reportedly shot dead at the construction site Karuma Hydro power project.

According to Brig. Richard Karemire, the Spokesperson for Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) one person has passed on after being hit by a stray bullet.

Brig. Karemire says as routine of security checks of over 6,000 local workers at Karuma Hydro Project, today June 25, 2018, one of the workers was found hiding unauthorized construction materials with intention to sneaking them out.

“On attempt to apprehend him, he mobilized fellow workers against the guards causing a stampede and obstructing their work. In the ensuing fracas, a stray bullet hit the yet unidentified worker attached to the Safety Department who passed on while being taken to hospital,”
He noted that the situation is under control after 20 workers were arrested and detained at Kiryandongo Police Station to lead in the investigation.

“We commiserate with the family of the deceased and security agencies have started their investigations over this unfortunate incident,” He said in a statement published on his social media platform.

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Jamal, Chagga excite revelers at Roast and Rhyme

The story tellers’ edition of Roast and Rhyme took place on Sunday at Jahazi Pier in Munyonyo.

Just like the previous editions, this one brought together music, beer and meat in a fun packed combo.

Emceed by Roger Mugisha, the fete featured performances from the Aka Dope band, Fefe bussi also known as the smallest rapper in Uganda, The Mith, and Jamal Waswa among others.

Sensational artist Jamal and Chagga, who have been off the music scene for some time, excited the crowd with their performances.

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Jamal sang his songs “Obawuwo” “Omusomesa’ and “abakyala.” Chagga performed “Birungi”, “Yoono”, “Kiba Kibi” and others Roast and Rhyme which has now become a popular event is platform for Ugandan Music.

Justine Bagyenda verification almost complete-IGG

Embattled former Executive Director in charge of Supervision at Bank of Uganda Justine Bagyenda.

The Inspector General of Government Justice Irene Mulyagonja has said the verification exercise undertaken by her office to evaluate properties of sacked Bank of Uganda Executive Director in charge of Supervision is almost complete.

Speaking to Eagle Online, Mulyagonja said that whereas she got a report from Financial Intelligence Authority on the property and wealth of Bagyenda, her office is almost done with the recommendations that include verification and that the report will soon be given to the petitioner and parliament that is carrying out a wider inquiry into BoU.

“We will not release any report to the public as our act doesn’t allow us to do that but we will rather give the verification to parliament. You know parliament is investigating BoU and that report will be part of the big report.” Justice Mulyagonja said.

Mulyagonja is under pressure to deliver the report after reports emerged that she is reluctant to compile the report due to her friendship with Bagyenda.

According to reports within her office, it is alleged that a top female investigator has been networking with Bagyenda to kill investigations.

FIA last month gave the IGG their findings concerning Bagyenda’s properties and wealth and they expect IGG to draft a report basing on their findings and which findings would then be used by police to charge Bagyenda for money laundering and possible tax evasion by Uganda Revenue Authority.

“On Friday we finished our report as we had promised so the report is in the hands of the police and IGG,” said FIA’s Executive Director Sydney Asubo.

Baggyenda was sitting on the board of the FIA headed by former BOU Governor Leo Kibirango as Chairman. Her contract is said to have ended but recently it was reported she was waiting to be reappointed to the board for the second term.

Recent leaked bank documents of which Eagle Online has copies, show that Bagyenda had up to Shs20 billion on various bank accounts, which led to the countrywide call for an investigation into her wealth.
For instance, Bagyenda’s dollar account indicates that on May 19, 2014, she deposited US$20,000 (about Shs76 million at the current exchange rate) on her account.

She deposited a similar amount (US$20,000) on December 19, 2014.
Apart from the cash deposits, sometimes Bagyenda received funds from her other accounts. For example on January 20, 2014, she received US$20,000 from her Standard Chartered account. On August 5, 2015, she received US$30,000 from an undisclosed source.

The leaked documents show that much as Bagyenda’s bank balances reflected zero shillings on most accounts, she was depositing her cash elsewhere. However, most of Bagyenda’s unexplained source of money would immediately go her fixed deposit accounts in DTB after landing on her savings accounts.

As of December 2017, She had fixed US$214,149 (Shs814 million) on a dollar account and Shs436 million on a shillings account in Diamond Trust Bank.

Documents also show she has another Shs2.4 billion on a GT bank account.

Probably as a way of avoiding scrutiny of her savings account she paid part of the money was to a prominent Kampala law firm. And by September 2017, the law firm had received Shs850 million from Bagyenda in lump sums ranging from Shs350 million and Shs100 million at a single transaction.

Bagyenda’s Barclays Bank account also shows that she was sending colossal sums to a certain gentleman.

Her Barclays account shows a consistent figure of about Shs10.5 million that was deposited on either the 22nd or 23rd of every month from BOU. She was also receiving Shs700, 000 from the Micro Finance Support Centre where she chaired the board according to her accounts.

The banks were she kept the money admitted and apologised Bagyenda for the leaked documents that exposed her bank details. They include Diamond Trust Bank and Barclays Bank that promised to punish the whistle blowers.

Bagyenda is also believed to have had properties worth billions in upscale suburbs like Naguru, Ntinda, Mbuya and Bugolobi.

Bagyenda recently opened war on the media houses who reported about her bank details as exposed by the leaked bank documents. Some editors we called at the CID to make statements while other declined to appear there for questioning.

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Maradona wants to meet Argentina players before Nigeria’s clash

Maradona furious after Croatia defeat

Argentina legend Diego Maradona has requested a meeting with Argentina’s players before their final World Cup group game on Tuesday.

After losing 3-0 to Croatia, the two-time winners need a win against the Super Eagle of Nigeria to have any chance of reaching the last 16.

The 1986 World Cup winner described himself as “furious and upset” and lashed out at the Argentina Football Association President Claudio Tapia as the “guilty party” after Croatia’s defeat.

“It cost us too much to be where we are for Croatia to hit us for three goals and to leave with our arms crossed without putting a foot in,” he said.

“I would love to hold a meeting with them, with (Nery) Pumpido, with (Sergio) Goycochea, with (Claudio) Caniggia, with (Pedro) Troglio, even with (Daniel) Passarella if he wants to come, and with (Jorge) Valdano

“It cost us too much to be where we are for Croatia to hit us for three goals and to leave with our arms crossed without putting a foot in.”We’re going to defend our honour,” he told Venezuelan TV channel Telesur.

“I’m furious and very upset inside, because anyone who has worn that shirt can’t see it being trampled like that by a Croatian team that isn’t Germany, that isn’t Brazil, that isn’t Holland or Spain.”

Maradona won the world cup in 1986 as the captain with Argentina. He also won the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament.

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Minister recalls RDC’s ‘corrected’ list

The Minister for the Presidency Esther Mbayo addressing journalists at the Media Centre

Kampala: Minister for presidency, Esther Mbayo has given the country a shake this Sunday evening when she told Resident District Commissioners not to go by the recent reshuffle but to remain in their respective offices.

The press release which is making rounds on social media took the country by surprise when it was last expected. In fact, we at first thought it was a hoax until we had the minister’s audio confirming the authenticity of the letter.

about two weeks ago, a reshuffle list was released by the state house. It was amended after two days because of ‘some errors’ which had to be corrected.

Mbayo in her press release she described the reshuffle list as social media list of RDC which was causing panic and tension among the president’s representatives.

But sources at state house say the minister has reacted out of excitement and anger at the same time.

Some insider who never wanted to be named has told this writer that “today Mbayo met the president and she complained that her people were thrown out. The president after a lengthy discussion instructed that the RDCs should remain in office until the completion of LC1 elections. I am surprised in her statement she seems to rubbish the list released by the president by calling it a social media list. Really? No No this minister should change her language,” the source has said.

The reshuffle list had thrown out all Mbayo’s close pals in the RDCs fraternity.

In a statement that accompanied the new reshuffle list last week, Mr Museveni said: “In Exercise of Powers conferred on the President of Uganda by Articles 99 and 203 of the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, I hereby appoint the following persons as Resident District Commissioners and Deputy Resident District Commissioners, respectively.”

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