As investigators from Auditor General’s office mount an appraisal into the works of Bank of Uganda concerning the closure of commercial banks, more information is leaking indicating how several top officials have amassed wealth.

Leaked details unearthed from the ongoing investigations link a number of BoU’s top officials to a number of wealth around the city and other upcountry towns.

Ms Justine Bagyenda, former Executive Director in charge of supervision, is reportedly to have wired up to Shs499, 428,906 million to a mobile money account belonging to his son, further details have emerged showing that her two children employed at Umeme and Stanbic respectively earn less than Shs5 million each.

According to documents seen by this website, the two children each own prime properties in Kampala and Western Uganda, raising questions as to how they could have afforded those properties, without the help of their mother.

Already Mrs. Bagyenda’s immense wealth is under investigation, pointing to the fact that she could have used her children to partly hide her wealth.

The children in question are a one, Robert Muhumuza Bagyenda, a Manager in charge of Agent Acquisition & Supervision at Stanbic Bank and Agaba Caroline, a Network Performance Engineer at Umeme, according to their LinkedIn online profiles.

According to credible sources at Stanbic where Mr Muhumuza works, he earns a salary of Shs4,452,000 raising questions as to how he is able to service a DFCU mortgage for Block 200, Plot 1548- Munyonyo Makindye Division- measuring approx. 0.0700 Hectares said to be worth more than Shs600 million.

The mortgage was registered at the registrar of titles, onFebruary 2, 2016.

This new revelation about Mr. Muhumuza’s salary could offer an explanation as to why her mother sent her up to Shs499, 428,906 on mobile money- to pay for the properties, acquired in his names on behalf of the mother.

Investigators from the IGG and Financial Intelligence Authority, who placed Bagyenda under investigation, may want to inquire into why Muhumuza, opted to take up a mortgage facility at a competitor bank, at an average 20 per cent from DFCU, yet Stanbic bank, his employer, offers all its staff mortgages at 7 per cent.

Caroline Agaba, also a daughter to Bagyenda on the other hand, who also earns below Shs4 million per month at Umeme, on the same date (February 2, 2016) had a prime property in Nakawa Division, Block 205, Plot 1352 measuring 0.0649 hectares registered in her names.

Undeveloped plots of that size in Nakawa are valued at over Shs500 million.

Little is known about Murembe also believed to be a Bagyenda kid who also registered another piece of property on the same day- Block 252 Plot 105A in Nakawa Division measuring 0.0800 Hectares; also said to be worth more than Shs500 million.

The three children together with Justine Bagyenda, already co-own two prime properties: Plots 10 and 21, measuring 0.0840 and 0.0820 Hectares respectively along Museveni Road in Ntungamo Municipality. They also own another property at Plot No.10, Kaguta Road in Mbarara Municipality.

Bagyenda’s children in trouble?
These new clues emerging about Bagyenda’s desperate efforts to hide her wealth could provide clues to investigators from the Inspectorate of Government and the Financial Intelligence Authority.

Should the charges against Bagyenda be found to be true, then her children too could be charged under the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2013 (AMLA).
Under the act, persons who knowingly aids money laundering faces imprisonment of up to five years or a fine not exceeding thirty three thousand currency points (Shs660,000,000).

Heriot-Watt Graduates
Both Robert Muhumuza and Caroline Agaba are graduates from the prestigious Heriot-Watt University.

Muhumuza, graduated with an Electrical & Electronics Engineering degree, majoring in Computer Systems Networking and Telecommunications and worked at Airtel as a Network Planning & Optimization, Junior Engineer in 2009 and left in less than a year to join Stanbic.

At Stanbic, he rose through the ranks to become a manager at Stanbic Bank’s Corporate and Investment Banking division.

Caroline who graduated from University of Cape Town with a BSc Electrical Engineering and later, did an MBA, business Administration at Heriot-Watt University, worked at Orange Telecom and Ecobank in junior positions, before joining Umeme as a network Performance Engineer.

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Muslims have received food stuffs for Iftar as Airtel launches its extensive Corporate Social Responsibility campaign of giving that will be held countrywide throughout the Holy Month of Ramadan.

According to Airtel officials, the campaign is aimed at shedding light on the true Ramadan spirit and celebrating this special time of the year with the local communities.

The CSR campaign begun with a handover of foodstuffs to the Wandegeya muslim community to assist them in preparing their Iftar meals.

Commenting during the handover, Ali Balunywa the Airtel Uganda Sales and Marketing Director said, “We would like to take this opportunity to greet you all on the blessed occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

This month presents a special time for our organization to communicate and interact with the community through our charitable programs. Every year at Airtel we prove that we are a company that pioneers in the social involvement, where we play a big role to give back to the community.”

Balunywa went on to explain that, just like every year, Airtel will be sharing the joys of Ramadan by distributing food stuffs every week throughout this holy month to the underprivileged in over 24 mosques across the country.

The company specifically chose highly populated areas to reach out to the maximum number of people.

Some of the districts earmarked for Ramadan donations include Kampala, Masaka, Mbale, Mbarara, Lira, Kamuli, Fortportal, Gulu, Iganga, Hoima, Jinja, Arua, Tororo, Kabale and many others.

Balunywa added: “Our pledge towards our customers of providing the latest and best technologies has never been broken, and today we continue our promise towards the entire community through our annual Ramadan CSR campaign.”

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Kampala: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Henry Okello Oryem has revealed that there is operational labour export agreement between Uganda and Unite Arab Emirates (UAE).

In a plenary sitting Chaired by Speaker Rebecca Kadaga Mr. Oryem said any labour exporting company that is taking Ugandans for labour in UAE were legally doing it.

“The minister of labour gender and social development is in the process of renewing the agreement that recently expired for Ugandans to access green pastures,” he revealed.

Consequently after taking the floor, Butambala MP Muwanga Kivumbi revealed that when budget committee paid a visit to Jaira state, they found a labour recruitment center which resembles a well organised slave market where highest bid walks away with a helper.

“We were all surprised to see slave market, I wondered why Ugandans sell off their properties to such countries, we always get reports of Ugandans suffering but instead they continue yearning to leave their motherland,” he said in a plenary urging Ugandan government to establish guidelines that are to be followed in case

He revealed that because of mistreatment 16 girls committed suicide in 2017. However, Oryem refuted all allegations saying whatever was said by Butambala MP is a total lie and they have never received that such information.

“Such statements have resulted into s diplomatic protest raised by UAE asserting that such allegations are meant to blackmail the said nation,” Mr. Oryem reacted to Muwanga’s allegations.

Currently there over 40 licensed companies those take Ugandan nationals to Arabian countries for casual labour. However, there has been various reports indicating that Ugandan nationals are mistreated, tortured and some are killed on top of confiscating their travel documents.

When contacted, known phone numbers for Permanent Secretary for ministry of labour Pius Bigirimana all off.

The above allegations follows confirmation of  a general labour recruitment bilateral agreement that was in January signed between Ugandan  Saudi Arabia allowing Ugandan professionals and causal labourers, such as doctors, engineers, carpenters and welders.

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