Stanbic Bank
Stanbic Bank
18.3 C
Kampala
Stanbic Bank
Stanbic Bank
Home Blog Page 1634

Hope Hicks: Close Trump aide and White House communications chief resigns

By
Agencies
-
Hope Hicks

Hope Hicks, the White House communications director and one of President Trump’s longest-serving advisers, is to step down, the administration says.
The 29-year-old former model and ex-Trump Organization employee has been by Mr Trump’s side for years.
She is reported to have told colleagues she felt she had accomplished all she could in the White House.
She is the fourth person to serve as White House communications chief.
White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said it remained unclear when Ms Hicks would leave the administration.
She said her resignation was not connected to testimony she gave to the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday.
Ms Hicks is reported to have admitted to the panel that she had occasionally told what amounted to “white lies” for President Trump.
But she denied lying about anything relevant to the investigation into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election, US media reported.
Trump ‘understood’
During the election campaign, Ms Hicks served as press secretary. She took over as the head of the White House communications team last August, after the abrupt firing of Anthony Scaramucci.
Before him, Sean Spicer and Mike Dubke both served in the role – which involves overseeing a busy press department.
But Ms Hicks has kept a remarkably low profile in the job.
“Hope is outstanding and has done great work for the last three years. She is as smart and thoughtful as they come, a truly great person,” Mr Trump said in a statement.
“I will miss having her by my side but when she approached me about pursuing other opportunities, I totally understood. I am sure we will work together again in the future.”

Stories Continues after ad

Justine Bagyenda’s 6 year Shs20b bank balance

By
Our Reporter
-
Embattled former Executive Director in charge of Supervision at Bank of Uganda Justine Bagyenda.

The recently fired Bank of Uganda official- who is refusing to leave office- is not a poor woman.
Ms Justine Bagyenda has a bank balance of Shs19, 302441,183, details of three bank accounts Eagle Online has so far seen reveal. She made all that money in just six years from 2013 to this year.
Well, she was until recently, an Executive Director in Charge of
Supervision in an institution where money makes the first stop before the hoi polloi who under the usually hot sun of Uganda get a drop of it.
However, whereas her former boss, Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile come top as the country’s highest salary earner at just Shs53.3 million per month, Ms Bagyenda’s bank balances means that for the last six months, she has been earning- or saving- Shs266,7223732, or earning Shs66.6 million per week or if you want to be sure, Shs9.5 million per day.

Did Ms Bagyenda earn all that money from salary? No, because no one in Uganda earns more than their boss. Plus, no government worker earns such.
Is she an astute business woman who knocked her hustle from way back and it started raining six years ago? It seems.
Analyzing the Bank Statements leaked to us, we see that in just six fixed deposit transactions, Ms Bagyenda accumulated Shs15 billion.

Don’t rush to ask the source of the monies she was fixing. We are
still investigating. It’s not her public salary, though.
She could not readily be got to comment on the story as her known phone number couldn’t go through but sample this,
in DTB, shilling account number 5106903903 described as ‘low start savings account’ had, as of 01 December 2017, had a total of Shs11.4 billion.
It is expecting another Shs429 million on 07 March 2018 when Shs179 million she fixed in September last year at 10 per cent rate matures.
By 21 October 2017, the shillings account at Barclays had a balance of Shs98 million.
Speaking of dollars, account number 5106903904 in Diamond Trust Bank, named Prime Dollar Saving, as of November 20, 2017 had US $1,074,450 which, at a conservative Shs3500 exchange rate translates to Shs3.76 billion.

The statement does not however capture the US $315,717(Shs1.1 billion) which, a certificate of deposit shows she earned from a fixed account transaction after she had deposited $176717 on 29 December 2016 at a 4.75 per cent rate. The transaction matured a year later.
The same account is expecting US $214,149(Shs750 billion) to drop on December 29, 2018 when a US $214149 fixed deposit she made matures.
At Bank of Uganda, Ms Bagyenda’s role was to supervise commercial banks to ensure they kept true to government’s regulations and all.
Knowing the corrupt fabric of most government officials, our source said, “Look, here is woman was the Ayatollah of commercial Banks. If she chose to turn a blind eye, a bank would get away with any wrong doing.


Do you think she is refusing to leave the just because it’s
illegal? It is because of the lucrative illegalities she has been
engaged in. She doesn’t want to lose the bread.”
Ms Bagyenda was defenestrated from Bank of Uganda less than a month ago and immediately replaced. She had been at the top institution for over decade rising through the ranks.
She has not taken her sacking lying low.
Just the other day, she reported to office albeit knowing that there’s a new appointee, arguing that her appointment ends in June and therefore it was irregular to sack her.

“She is in office and even yesterday she came and sat in office whole day without talking to anyone. We don’t know what will follow because the new director is supposed to start work on March 1,” our deep throat at the bank told us.
Ms Bagyenda has even attempted to meet the president that she looked
for him all the way to Nakaseke and waiting for three hours only for the president to tell her to “go carry your cross.” The President had washed his hands off her.
As and when she eventually agrees to go, she will surely not leave a poor woman.
More on Ms Bagyenda’s riches to come.

Bagyenda, whose contract at BoU was supposed to end June 2018, went on annual leave on January 22, but in a reshuffle announced by Prof. Mutebile, she was retired. In her place Prof. Mutebile appointed Dr Tumubweine Twinemanzi the new Director in charge of Supervision.

Stories Continues after ad

Ugandan goes missing in Rwanda

By
Benjamin Gavara
-
Abdul Karim Babi

Uganda’s Deputy Head of Mission- New Delhi’s nephew, Abdul Karim Babi, Facebook name Kareemon Boxtar, went missing in Kigali, Rwanda.
Ambassador Mohammed Baswari-Kezaala says since his nephew disappearance on February 17, he has contacted the Uganda embassy in Rwanda and has been told that “they have written to Rwandese authorities about a missing Ugandan in the name of Kareem Babi and are still waiting for a response.”
“I am also trying to contact Rwanda authorities but I have not yet gone through,” he said.
The twenty eight year old is a graphic designer and photographer working at Kigali City Graphix. He also trades in electronics including phones and laptops which he imports from Dubai and sells in Uganda and Rwanda.
The family believes he is not outside Rwanda for business because his phone and passport were left at his home.
“He went with the camera possibly to meet a client. We have searched most of the hospitals, police stations and around Kigali to no avail,” Ambassador Baswari-Kezaala told Eagle Online.
Mr Babi is son to the late Isa Musa Babi who was shot dead at his home in Wanyange, Jinja, in the late evening of 2002 before his family and the killers have never been known
The late was a vendor in Jinja Central Market dealing in electrical materials and he was the vice chairman of Jinja Central Market Traders Association
As the ambassador intensities the search for his nephew, a family in Uganda is grieving after discovering the body of their daughter dumped in marsh in Kampala after a gruesome murder.
Twenty eight year old Susan Magara went mission early this month and kidnappers put the family through a heartless process of asking for a $1M ransom until she was tortured and killed and the family asked to pick her body from a marsh.
Anyone with information about Mr Babi’s whereabouts should contact the ambassador on +27 845 113 998 (available on WhatsApp) or +27 110 549 355 and +919958263018 or +256772436628.
Other phone numbers are: +256 788 239 549, +256 704 328 572, +250 787 316 151, + 250 780 653 737, +250 780 339 243, +250 785 477 725, +250 728 477 727.

Stories Continues after ad

Mwiru contests EC voter register in Jinja by-election

By
Priscilla Alma
-
ANT's Paul Mwiru

Forum for Democratic Change candidate and front runner for the Jinja East constituency by-election Mr Paul Mwiru is contesting the current voters’ register saying it has been inflated with 2,072 ghost voters. He argues that the ghosts are already registered voters in the neighbouring districts.
Mwiru contends that during the 2016 General Elections Voter Register, had 26,421 Voters, the chairman of the commission while announcing the election road map for Jinja Municipality East Constituency, announced 28,493 as the number of voters on the voter register with a variance of 2,072 ghost voters. There 47 polling stations in Jinja East constituency.
In press statement issued in Jinja today, Mwiru said, and EC and NIRA staff believed to have a blood relationship with his arch rival in the race NRM’s Nathan Nabeta Igeme have tampered with the register.
“The purpose of this press conference is notify the Electoral Commission and NIRA, that the fraud being perpetuated by them is against the mandate of the commission and NIRA, and the same should not be condoned unless the commission is to be operated as a fraud organization,” reads the statement in part.
Mwiru expressed his concerns that the state through the Electoral Commission is on a full scale mission to rig the Jinja East by-Election by manipulating the voter register.
He further challenged NIRA to come clean and publish the 1,354 persons realized out of the update process of the Jinja Municipality East National Identification Register from the 2016 General Elections to 3rd February 2018.
“Finally I call upon the Electoral Commission to expunge fraudulently procured ghost voters not based on the National Identification Register for Jinja Municipality East on the Jinja Municipality East voter register.”
The EC said they will respond to Mr Mwiru’s concerns by Tuesday next week.
The Jinja East constituency fell vacant following the court of Appeal nullification of Igeme Nabeta Nathan as winner in the 2016 election. Mwiru successfully challenged his victory.
At least 8 people are contesting in the by-election set for March 15, 2018.

PRESS RELEASE
28th February 2018
WHERAS Article 61 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda is to the effect that the functions of the Electoral Commission is to ensure that elections are free and fair, and to compile ,maintain, revise and update the voters register;
WHEREAS the Electoral Commission partially, surrendered its Mandate of compiling and updating the Voter register to National Identification Registration Authority {NIRA}.
WHEREAS the continuous registration of voters is now done by NIRA, under the supervision of the Electoral Commission which was the basis of retiring the old register by the Electoral Commission citing Section 62 of the Person Registration Act,
WHEREAS the 2016 General Elections Voter Register, had 26,421 Voters, the Chairman of the Commission while announcing the election road map for Jinja Municipality East Constituency, announced 28,493 as the number of voters on the voter register with a variance of 2,072 ghost voters.
WHEREAS the update process brought about 698 newly registered voters; 656 registered voters captured by NIRA as on the 3rd February 2018 hence an update total of 1,354 voters,
It has come to my attention that the Electoral Commission through its officer a one Namugera P. The head IT at the Electoral Commission and one Jacob Wakabi brother to Igeme Nathan Samson Nabeta and a NIRA staff at Iganga fraudulently registered 2,072 already registered Voters in neighboring Districts for purposes of voting in the upcoming by election which has an effect of subverting the will of the People of Jinja Municipality East.
The purpose of this press conference is notify the Electoral Commission and NIRA, that the fraud being perpetuated by the staff of the Electoral Commission and NIRA, is against the mandate of the Commission and NIRA,and the same should not be condoned unless the Commission is to be operated as a fraud organization.
To inform the General Public that the National Resistance Movement {NRM} through the Electoral Commission is on a full scale mission to rig the Jinja East by Election by manipulation of the voter Register.
TO call upon NIRA to come clean and publish the 1,354 persons realized out of the update process of the Jinja Municipality East National Identification Register from the 2016 general elections to 3rd February 2018.
And finally to call upon the Electoral Commission to expunge fraudulently procured ghost voters not based on the National Identification Register for Jinja Municipality East on the Jinja Municipality East voter register
MWIRU PAUL – PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE FOR JINJA MUNI. EAST

Stories Continues after ad

Fashion Designers want Kadaga as patron

By
Geoffery Serugo
-
UFC COORDINATOR: Gloria Haguma

Kampala: The Speaker of Parliament has agreed to a request by the fashion designers to be their patron.
In a meeting organized on the request of the designers, Ms Rebecca Kadaga said she is willing to be the voice of the industry that employs many young people if that is what it will take to promote Uganda’s fashion in the country and outside the country.
“A lot of good things are happening in this country and passing under our radar. The fashion industry is obviously very good in promoting the country and we indeed have to do something to help you,” she said.
Ms Kadaga asked the fashion designers to organize themselves and register a vehicle to bring together the different small organizations and she will be ready to play as patron whenever they are ready.
“Organize a bigger meeting and I will come with feedback on most of the issues you have raised,” she said.
Among the requests from the designers was: a dedication from government to fund designers whenever they are invited to showcase on international scene, an opportunity to design and dress leaders especially parliamentarians and innovation grants for the up and coming designing start-ups.
Although the fashion designers do not currently have a body which brings them together, they believe forming one with the Speaker as their patron will go a long way to bring fashion industry issues to the government table for consideration.
Ms Gloria Haguma, who coordinated the meeting where the Speaker met with the fashion gurus, said regardless of their current lack of proper organization, the industry has strong potential and having the Speaker will be in the interest of the creative industry that has over 100,000 enthusiasts around the country.
“We believe the Speaker will help us in registering the Council as a unified organization that will bring photographers, models and artistic fashion designers on board to push the fashion industry forward,” Ms. Haguma said in an interview with Eagle Online.
Once registered, Ms Haguma said, the UFC will be able to acquire assistance from government under established systems to galvanize the development of the industry, including spreading its message to educational institutions across the country.
“Upon registering it (UFC) with government as an organization, the Council will offer career guidance programs in various secondary schools and universities with a motive of opening upon students minds to the actual world,” Ms. Haguma, an award-winning Fashion Journalist, noted.
Established to promote and support leading Ugandan fashion designers on the global market, the Ugandan Fashion Council (UFC) sponsored the 2nd annual Kampala Fashion Week (KFW) in 2015, aimed at inspiring and educating the creative and business aspects of the fashion industry.

Stories Continues after ad

The family did everything they could to rescue Susan – Father

By
Our Reporter
-
John Fitzgerald Magara, the father of slain Susan Magara, eulogising his daughter at the requiem mass in Mbuya

Hundreds of friends, relatives and mourners today gathered at Our Lady of Africa Catholic Church in Mbuya to say ‘good bye’ to Susan Magara, whose body was found on Tuesday morning in Kigo, along Entebbe road.

The mass was led by Fr. John Mungereza, the parish priest of Mbuya.

“When I heard of Susan’s death, I was speechless. We, as Christians, are taught not to fear death because it is part of life. But not this kind of death. We should stand together against this kind of evil strikes.” he said.

Susan Magara was kidnapped on February, 7, 2018 near her home at night in Lungujja, where her hand bag and cellphone were recovered.

The casket bearing Susan Magara’s body

Mr John Fitzegerald Magara, the father of the deceased, said that the family did everything they could to rescue Susan from the kidnappers. He narrated on how it happened;

“Susan was kidnapped on Wednesday 7, February and on the following day, the kidnappers contacted my wife and told her they had Susan. I told her to hand the matters to me.

I received a call from H.E Yoweri Museveni who actively got in touch and I requested to allow the family go by the demands of the kidnappers.

Ten days before we found her body, they delivered two of her fingers and a video recording with a ‘must watch message’ which I handed over to the police for investigations.

Yesterday morning at around 8am, I confirmed that Susan is dead and indeed she didn’t have the two fingers.”

I felt some relief because we won’t be looking for Susan anymore. But I still don’t know the motive on why this happened. We wait for the answers.”

The family, friends, workmates and selected mourners laid wreaths on the coffin bearing the remains of Susan.

There will be another mass at St Kirigwajjo Catholic Church, Kitoba Parish on 1st March, 2018.

The body will then be laid to rest at their home in Hoima District at 4pm.

Meanwhile, the Police offered Shs100m for anyone who can provide information leading to the arrest of the killers.

Stories Continues after ad

Museveni condemns Susan Magara killing

By
Steven F Mandu
-
President Museveni

President Yoweri Museveni has condemned the murder of Susan Magara by unknown thugs, laying blame on the lack of street cameras and use of unregistered simcards.

As a result, the President directed that no mobile or fixed phone SIM cards should be given to anybody without the electronic identity card (National Identity Card).

In a condolence message released by Senior Presidential Media Advisor Don Wanyama, a somber Mr. Museveni, said that cameras would be put up in various areas of the country, in a bid to deter crime, the type which claimed Ms. Magara’s life.

‘The gaps we have been having in the towns have been lack of cameras and unregulated sale of mobile phone SIM cards to people without electronic identity cards,’ Mr. Museveni said.

The President, who kept a tab on developments since Ms. Magara’s kidnap, disclosed that he was informed about the tragic events on February 7 while he was in Arua-Koboko-Nebbi, and received further briefing on his return on February 18.

‘Friends and Abazukulu (grandchildren), I write to convey condolences to Mutabani (son) Magara and family on the brutal murder of our grand-daughter, Susan Magara,’ Mr. Museveni wrote.

He added: ‘Susan’s murder shows what sort of swine (pigs) we have in Africa that do not value treasures like the beautiful Suzzie whom, unfortunately, I had not had the opportunity of meeting’.

The President also pointed at the possibility of capturing the palm-print and DNA of every Ugandan, saying it would bolster efforts aimed at curbing crime.

‘DNA records of everybody are good to compare with blood samples, sweat, sperm etc found at the scene of crime. Palm-prints are better than thumb prints because the criminal may leave the palm-print and not thumb print,’ Mr. Museveni noted.

Meanwhile, at Ms. Magara’s funeral service held at Our Lady of Africa Catholic Church in Mbuya today, Lenny Muganwa, a grandfather to the deceased, revealed that the President was coordinating the information between the family and those investigating the kidnap.

He also added that it is the President who called to inform the family about the death of the deceased.

Police has since released a voice recording of her alleged kidnappers, and also offered a reward of Shs100m for anyone who can help identify the voice on tape.

Ms. Magara, a daughter to businessman John Magara and grand-daughter to former Public Service Minister Henry Muganwa Kajura, was kidnapped about three weeks ago, and after some time her tormentors demanded a US$1 million ransom. However, in a strange twist the kidnappers decided to end her life in a most gruesome way and later dumped her body in Kigo along the Southern Bypass.

Ms. Magara will be laid to rest at her ancestral village in Kitoba, Hoima district.

 

 

Stories Continues after ad

OPM Refugee Commissioner Kazungu fired

By
Steven F Mandu
-
FIRED: Apollo Kazungu

Apollo Kazungu, the Commissioner for Refugees in the Office of the Prime Minister, has been sacked.

Kazungu, who has been on the spot for mismanaging millions of shillings and food aid meant for refugees, was shown the exit on Wednesday and replaced in acting capacity by Simon Gerald Menhya, whose appointment was ordered by Minister for Disaster Preparedness Hillary Onek and his junior Musa Ecweru, as investigations continue.

Last month the OPM Permanent Secretary Christine Guwatudde Kintu ordered Kazungu’s interdiction and appointed Mr Joel Wanjala, the Undersecretary in-charge of finance and administration, as care taker.

At the time, Mr Kazungu was suspended alongside three other officials working with the Refugee Department.

By press time it was not clear whether Mr. Kazungu, a senior public servant, had been subjected to the due process as prescribed by law.

Stories Continues after ad

Cutting cost of doing business in Uganda: Trade information portal in offing

By
George Mangula
-
Trade Minister Amelia Kyambadde

Traders operating in Uganda will have a chance to cut the cost of doing business further, following government plans to develop a one-stop portal for export, import and transit information in Uganda.

According to the Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Amelia Kyambadde, the online platform that is being developed with the support from Trademark East Africa (TMEA)will be used by traders, government agencies and other entities with interests in business.

“The portal will provide traders with all the necessary information to enable them to undertake the transactions on Electronic Single Window. The two platforms are therefore complementary,” said minister Kyambadde, whose ministry is hosting the 2018 East African Trade Development Forum from February 28-March 2, 2018 at Speke Resort, Munyonyo.

The minister says the establishment of the Uganda Electronic Single Window has so far integrated eight trade regulatory agencies, though 22 are planned to be interconnected by end the end of the year.

Some of the government agencies connected to the Uganda Electronic Single Window are; the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA).

According to the minister, the system which is web-based, has helped traders to submit trade documents and log trade related transactions in real-time and at a single entry point.

“The system enables traders to comply with trade regulations in an efficient manner thereby reduce transaction costs and time associated with processing documentation for import and export,” she says.

Meanwhile, the minister reports that the East African Community (EAC) is Uganda’s second export destination with trade worth USD711.3m, main exports being coffee, tea, spices, cereals, tobacco, sugar, iron and steel. Of the six EAC countries, Kenya is Uganda’s number one export destination within the region.

On the other, Uganda’s imports from the EAC are valued at USD 530m, indicating a favourable balance of trade when compared to the current value of exports the country sends to that economic bloc which is regarded the most dynamic in Africa. From the EAC, Uganda imports; salt, sulphur, lime, cement, iron and steel.

The minister says that the Non Trade Barrier Reporting System, Launched a few years ago in the EAC, has reduced on the delays and costs of moving goods in and out of Uganda and across trading member states.

Stories Continues after ad

URBRA orders unlicenced retirement benefits schemes to stop business

By
George Mangula
-

The Uganda Retirement Benefits Regulatory Authority (URBRA) has warned unlicenced schemes to stop operations with immediate effect, saying their activities are illegal and violate the URBRA Act 2011.

‘Members of the public are hereby notified that unlicenced schemes, trustees, administrators, custodians and fund managers are not permitted to offer any service envisaged under the URBRA Act’, says Chief Executive Officer David Nyakundi Bonyi says in a public notice.

URBRA was established to oversee and regulate the establishment, management and operation of retirement benefits schemes in Uganda and to protect the interest of members and beneficiaries of all schemes.

As of January 31, 2018 URBRA had registered 63 retirement benefits schemes in the country and over 190 individual trustees of the schemes. The most prominent one is Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile who is a trustee of Bank of Uganda (BoU) Defined Benefits Scheme. Mutebile is the BoU Governor.

On the other hand, licenced corporate trustees so far registered are; KCB Uganda Ltd, VIVO Energy Uganda Ltd, and Jomo Investments and Trustee Services Ltd.

URBRA has so far licenced nine administrators of schemes which include Prudential Assurance Uganda Ltd, UAP Insurance Uganda Ltd, Insurance Company of East Africa Ltd, Alexander Forbes Financial Services, Jubilee Insurance Company Uganda Ltd and Octagon Uganda Ltd among others.

Further URBRA says it has licenced seven fund managers in the country. They include; Sanlam Investments EA Ltd, Stanlib Uganda Ltd, African Alliance, UAP Financial Services Ltd and ICEA Asset Management Uganda Ltd, among others.

Meanwhile URBRA has so far licenced five custodians of funds generated by schemes. They are Housing Finance Bank, Bank of Africa, Stanbic Bank, KCB Bank and Standard Chartered Bank.

According to URBRA officials, the different players in the retirement benefits schemes ensure the operation of the principle of checks and balances, hence keeping members’ contributions free of investment risks.

The developments come at the time when government has tabled a bill to liberalize the local pension sector and should Parliament pass it, it will open up the market for other players to receive monthly money contributions of employees mainly in the private sector as well as NGOs. Currently, the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) is the only institution mandated by law to collect contributions.

Stories Continues after ad
1...1,6331,6341,635...2,399Page 1,634 of 2,399

© Eagle Online. All rights reserved.

About Us

Popular Category

Editor Picks