Stanbic Bank
Stanbic Bank
21.6 C
Kampala
Stanbic Bank
Stanbic Bank
Home Blog Page 284

Police confirms 10 people perished in Iganga-Tororo fatal accident 

By
Our Reporter
-

At least ten people are reported dead in a fatal accident which occurred along the Iganga-Tororo highway in Bugiri District.

In a statement issued by Michael Kananura, Spokesperson Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, noted that the accident occurred yesterday at around 07:50 pm, which involved six vehicles.

Kananura said that Preliminary information indicates that the motor vehicles were all moving in the same direction towards Tororo, except for one vehicle, registration number KAE 254c/ZA 5971, a tanker loaded with molasses, which was traveling in the opposite direction towards Iganga.

“Motor vehicle registration number UAW 963m, a Toyota HiAce, attempted to overtake a queue of vehicles. The driver noticed an oncoming vehicle while still overtaking and swerved to the left to yield, unaware that the oncoming vehicle was a trailer tanker loaded with molasses and pulling another trailer,” he said.  

He added that the rear part of the trailer collided with the taxi, crushing it against another trailer, KBJ 155c/ZD 2621, a Mercedes Benz. Consequently, the trailer tanker lost control, overturned, and caught fire.

“10 people, including 8 passengers of the taxi, its driver, and the trailer tanker driver, lost their lives on the spot,” Kananura revealed.

The traffic police responded to the scene immediately, and the bodies were transported to Bugiri hospital mortuary for post-mortem examination.

Stories Continues after ad

Family Medical Point steps up its fight against unsafe abortion at the Kigungu landing site

By
Geoffery Serugo
-

Due to the glaring gap, Family Medical Point has stepped up its fight against unsafe abortion at Kigungu landing site.

Made up of the four villages of Kigungu Central, Mayanzi, Misori, and Old Entebbe, the landing site is home to over 70,000 people. On average, more than 1000 people land on and off from Kigungu to various islands in Lake Victoria and major towns around Entebbe and Kampala. 

Located behind Entebbe airport, the Kigungu landing site is home to tens of sex workers. Despite the presence of government health facilities, access to reproductive health services is still a big challenge in the community. Despite the scarcity of condoms at the landing site, at least five women are reported to experience unsafe abortions every month.

According to family medical points, in the HIV test conducted at Kigungu, 40 percent of the population in Kigungu has HIV/AIDS.

Enock Cedikol, project manager for Care Plus at Family Medical Point, said Kigungu is one of the hardest-to-reach areas, full of people who basically have low income. We try to bring broad services to people who cannot afford expensive services.

He noted that as they try to prevent deaths caused by unsafe abortions, there are reproductive health challenges such as urinary tract infections, gonorrhoea, and syphilis. As a facility and a project, we are also tackling challenges related to women and men.

“If a woman gets an unsafe abortion, the least price to manage it is Shs 150,000; therefore, it becomes very expensive for people that are living at the landing site. So, we come to bridge that gap,” he said.

“We have been here for about two years, and each year we target reaching 5000 people. At the medical camps, we offer HIV tests, urinalysis, pregnancy tests, and family counselling to prevent unsafe abortions and other consultations related to reproductive health,” he stated.

According to Meddie Meddie, a member of the Village Health Team (VHT) at the landing site, they experienced a scarcity of condoms. The biggest population at the landing site is fishermen, who reportedly have no access to condoms, and the few who get them sell them at a high cost.

He applauded the family medical point for bringing the highly needed services closer to them and decried the continuous stock out of drugs at government health facilities.

Stories Continues after ad

Anti-Corruption Unit arrest 11 Magnum Security guards over illegal guard of contested property

By
Simon Kabayo
-

The Anti-Corruption Unit has arrested eleven (11) personnel of Magnum Security, a private security company which had been illegally deployed to evict and consequently guard a contested property on Plot 106, Old Kira Road, Ntinda.

On December 22, 2022, the family home of the late Eng. Johnson Eliba Orech that was on the said land was demolished without a court order after a similar attack by people acting on the orders of one Yusuf Semakula.

In January, the Unit in collaboration with Police at Kira Road police station arraigned six suspects before the KCCA Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of aggravated robbery and conspiracy to commit a felony.

The suspects were arrested on the night of January 5, 2024, after they went without any court orders and forcefully accessed the partially demolished family home of the late Eng. Johnson Eliba Orech armed with machetes and violently attacked and robbed one of the family members of his phone and money.

Officers at Kira Police Station were able to swiftly respond to a distress call made by another family member and apprehend the six suspects who indicated to the police that they had also been sent by Yusuf Ssemakula, who is sighted in several similar cases of illegal evictions reported to the Unit.

This incident was investigated by the Anti-Corruption Unit and the status quo (occupation of the property by the Eliba family) was to be maintained pending the conclusion of court cases as to the ownership of the property at the Court of Appeal which issued an interim injunction to that effect on December 23, 2023.

Despite this injunction, Yusuf Semakula on March 1, 2024 caused a second eviction of the family from the premises and deployed Magnum Security prompting yesterday’s action by the Unit.

Stories Continues after ad

 UAP Old Mutual, DTB Uganda partner to deliver insurance services

By
Francisco Adongo
-

Diamond Trust Bank Uganda – (DTBU) and UAP Old Mutual Insurance Uganda have partnered to deliver general and medical insurance products and services to customers.

The Partnership makes DTB a one-stop centre for both banking and insurance services in the two partner companies’ quest to drive insurance deepening and inclusion.

The partnership presents insurance services that provide extensive coverage to safeguard customers’ interests at personal, business and corporate levels. Some of the products and services to be promoted and offered through DTB Uganda Outlets include Motor Comprehensive Insurance, Medical Insurance, Travel Insurance, and Domestic Package for homes among others. The products will be tailored to customer-centric needs hence the variation of premiums based on coverage.

Douglas Baguma, Principal Officer Bancassurance said that some of their customers were coming for one particular product, especially the drivers to pay for their permit renewals but now with this partnership, “there is a cause for them to make a stopover and insure their vehicles comprehensively.”

“In addition to that, most of the bank customers who have got homes will have a chance to insure their houses under what we call domestic package insurance. All that is coming out of this partnership that we are launching today.”

DTB’s Managing Director, Varghese Thambi said the collaboration marks a milestone in DTB’s commitment to addressing the evolving needs of its clientele and improving their financial well-being.

“Our decision to enter this partnership comes from our dedication to addressing the evolving needs of our customers. UAP Old Mutual’s products align with Diamond Trust Bank’s commitment to offering a holistic financial portfolio to customers” said Varghese.

He said that as a bank, they got the bancassurance license in 2017 and they have since made a substantial contribution year after year.

He said that the two who have been in partnership for the last four years have been recognized during the Insurance Week organised by the Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda as the most innovative bancassurance agent for 2022 and “we share the stage together in March 2023.”

“I am sure that the outcome of this partnership is going to multiply the contribution from DTB to the bancassurance segment,” he noted.

Necessary as it is, Thambi hopes the regulator makes needed amendments in the regulations to get the insurance at the doorstep of the person. “The last mile customer, it could be for funeral insurance, it could be for something else, or it could be for a household policy or their comprehensive policy.”

Caroline Owomuhangi, Marketing and Communications Specialist at UAP Old Mutual Insurance mentioned that this collaboration represents a shared commitment to delivering value and convenience to customers.

She noted that the partnership was timely. She says that the bancassurance in critical numbers reported by the Insurance Regulatory Authority of shs179 billion generated in 2023, which was a 26% increase from 2022.

“This clearly shows that bancassurance is very important for industry and having partners like the DTB is very important for us to build mutual insurance.”

Owomuhangi said the partnership represents a significant milestone for them and is strategically aligned with their commitment to providing quality services and excellent customer service to their clients.

“As an integrated financial solutions organization with asset management, life assurance, medical and general insurance, we are committed to becoming our customers’ first choice to sustain, grow, and protect their prosperity by offering solutions that meet their needs throughout their lifetime. This partnership represents a significant milestone for us and is strategically aligned with that commitment.”

“We believe that this partnership will strengthen our role and relevance in our customers’ lives. We’re confident that this collaboration will drive value for our customers and stakeholders and looking ahead, we’re excited about the opportunities that this bank partnership represents for business growth and market presence,” she noted.

The leaders, both regional giants, urged Ugandans to embrace insurance products and services. Insurance has been proven as the cornerstone for business and economic stability as it covers and saves clientele risks of losing investments. General Insurance products to be sold under their partnership come with innovative coverage options, customer-centric policy terms, and streamlined claims processes to enhance the overall customer experience.

Stories Continues after ad

Gov’t backtracks on animal quarantine imposed on Kampala

By
Our Reporter
-
Bright Rwamirama.

The government backtracked on the animal quarantine imposed on Kampala City. On March1, 2023, Minsa Kabanda, the Minister for Kampala City Authority, banned the transportation and sale of animal products after foot and mouth disease broke out in Kampala.

Lt. Col. (Rtd) Bright Rwamirama Kanyontore, the Minister of State for Agriculture, Animal husbandry, however, said the restriction was based on a report of a sick animal in one zero grazing unit in Rubaga Division on February 28, 2024.

“The technical team has since established that the disease is localized, and the sick herd has been treated and put under strict surveillance,” he said.

He said the guidelines for safe trade in animals and animal products in non-affected areas issued on February 2, 2024, shall apply to Kampala City, i.e., abattoirs operating in non-affected areas or sub-counties shall continue to receive non-affected animals as long as they do not come from or pass through affected areas.

Stories Continues after ad

FDC raises concern over Shs15b Goat Roll-Out project in 7 districts

By
Simon Kabayo
-
John Kikonyogo, FDC spokesperson

Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has raised concern over the mismanagement of taxpayers’ money where the Ministry of Agriculture spent Shs15 billion in the Goat Roll-Out project that was implemented in seven (7) districts.

The concern was raised by John Kikonyogo, FDC spokesperson during the media briefing held today at Najjanankumbi.

“Our attention has been drawn to the concerns raised in the Auditor General’s report regarding the Shs15 billion Goat Roll-Out project that was implemented in seven districts. The Ministry of Agriculture imported 71 goats at a cost of Shs528 million,” Kikonyogo noted.

He added that shockingly, the report reveals that Shs7.3 million was spent on each goat, yet the majority of them died within the first week after distribution. Many of the purchased goats were sick and malnourished.

“Our concern as a party lies in the government’s continued mismanagement of taxpayer money and affairs of the country. Despite the commendable work of the Auditor General in exposing such theft, we do not understand why Parliament fails to take action. Parliament has the authority to decline allocating further funds to these taxpayer money vampires, yet they keep approving allocations to them year after year,” Kikonyogo said.

He added, “We must not forget past scandals, such as the exorbitant purchase of pens by Bank of Uganda at Shs357,000, and the purchase of rats during Covid-19 at a cost of 8 million shillings, where individuals involved were merely questioned by parliamentary committees and allowed to go unpunished.”

Last week, while appearing before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Steven Kajura, Project Coordinator at the Ministry of Agriculture defended the cost spent on each goat saying the goats were bought from South Africa and was of a higher pedigree.

“The goats were bought from South Africa and Namibia, we bought high pedigree animals and that includes insurance and flight costs, so it came to Shs7.3 million the exotic pedigree animals are usually very expensive, you are free to google and you will come to around the same range,” Kajura explained.

According to the Auditor General, John Muwanga, all the 150 goats distributed in Nakasongola district worth Shs52.5 million had died, whereas in Gomba district, out of the 700 goats distributed worth Shs 245 million, 259 goats valued at Shs90.7 million had died, thus indicating that a total of 409 goats out of 850 distributed in Gomba and Nakasongola worth Shs143 million had died by the time of audit in September 2023.

Kikonyogo has revealed that it is very clear that this government lacks the will to combat corruption in this country noting that the would-be culprits the would-be culprits have now learned the “trick”, they are summoned to the committee, pretend to be terrified, talk softly, don’t argue, sweat profusely and ask for water, then go home and enjoy the “loot” and wait for the next allocation.

 “We demand that urgent action be taken against any individuals who mismanage public funds and be held accountable for their actions.” He noted. 

Stories Continues after ad

Court remands five suspects implicated in the murder of Daniel Bbosa

By
Our Reporter
-

The five suspects implicated in the murder of Daniel Bbosa, the former head of the Ndiga clan, have been remanded to Luzira prison.

The five suspects include Noah Lugya, Harriet Nakabale Nakiguli, Ezra Mayanja Ezra, Milly Naluwenda, and Joseph Nakabale.

Appearing before Mwanga II Magistrate Court, the five were charged with murder and subsequently remanded to Luzira Prison till April 11.

Bbosa was fatally shot on February 25, 2024, by assailants as he was approaching his residence in Kikandwa Zone, Lungujja Parish, Lubaga Division.

The assailants, riding on a motorcycle, opened fire at Bbosa’s motor vehicle, bearing registration number UAH 637X, resulting in his immediate demise.

During the heinous act, a vigilant resident bravely intervened, knocking down the assailants’ motorcycle and alerting the community. Swiftly, members of the community mobilized, leading to a confrontation with the assailants. Mob justice ensued, resulting in the death of one assailant at the scene, while the other remains in critical condition.

Police recovered the firearm allegedly used in the murder incident, along with the motorcycle registration number UEX 754E, used by the assailants during the attack.

Last week, police put up a Shs10 million cash prize on Lujja Bbosa Tabula, the prime suspect in the gun down of Eng Bbosa.

Stories Continues after ad

Shs65b allegedly stolen in Equity bank fraud

By
Our Reporter
-

Equity Bank Uganda has launched investigations into cases of fraud surrounding their Stock Loan and Agent Float financing that happened recently.

The Stock Loan product is a credit facility meant to support entrepreneurs, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and large businesses across various sectors with working capital for growth and expansion.

‘Agency float financing’ on the other hand is a loan product to support Equi Duuka Agents with float to continue running their agency businesses.

The fraud is expected to have affected about Shs65 billion shillings.

Equity management says they are investigating to find out what exactly happened and who was involved, including staff and customers.

“People of interest, including a few of our staff and customers, are currently assisting with investigations by the relevant law enforcement authorities,” the Bank says in a statement.

It also said that it would take action on anyone found to have been involved, in a bid to uphold their standards in serving their clients.

“We hold ourselves to the highest standards of accountability and transparency, and the person/s found to be responsible, whether through fraud or errors of commission or omission will be fully addressed by the policies, procedures, and ethical values of the organization and, where appropriate, the laws of the country.”

Despite this huge amount of money involved, Equity says services to their customers will not be affected or disrupted.

“Despite this investigation, customers will continue to access loans across all our branches countrywide and banking channels uninterrupted,” the statement says.

It adds that the Board of Directors and management are committed to resolving and concluding this matter, and “we continue to focus on our purpose of transforming lives, giving dignity, and expanding opportunities for wealth creation.”

It is not yet clear whether this fraud is an outright theft of money or a result of an error on the side of the bank’s staff, but the management says all this will be revealed during their investigations.

Over the last 16 years, Equity Bank Uganda has built a branch network of more than 9,000 Equi Duuka agents and 58 ATMs spread across the country and serving over two million customers.

Equity Bank Uganda is one of the major banks that have met the Bank of Uganda’s recently revised minimum capital requirements, which are meant to strengthen the Financial sector against any shocks.

The subsidiary of Equity Group Holdings Ple, a financial services company listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange, Uganda Securities Exchange, and Rwanda Stock Exchange, boasts an asset base of 3.5 trillion shillings as of September 30, 2023.

Stories Continues after ad

Anarchy in Haiti: The whole story

By
Guest Writer
-
Haiti chaos: Youth on streets demonstrating.



By Dr David Matsanga in London United Kingdom

The sad thing is when the World does not see the truth. As the already impoverished nation of Haiti descends into deeper chaos and anarchy of historic proportions, the question on everyone’s lips is, “what is going on?!”

Haiti is a Caribbean nation located in the Greater Antilles archipelago. The nation shares the island of Hispaniola with a counterpart Caribbean nation of the Dominican Republic.  Haiti sits on about 27,560 sq km of land, about 190 sq km of water and has a population of about 10.8 million inhabitants.

Now, let’s cut to the chase. It’s a long story but let’s start from the timeline of the immediate past president of Haiti, Jovenel Moise who was assassinated on July 7, 2021. Prior to his assassination, a few interesting events unfolded in Haiti. In March of 2021, a Tweet originating from the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation stated that Haiti was entering a new period of “political instability and the largest ever social and economic crisis.” The Tweet further emphasized, “Russia is ready to help Haitians restore political stability, maintain internal security and train personnel.”

Three months later, in June of 2021, Haitian President Jovenel Moïse welcomed the Russian Federation’s newest and third ambassador to Haiti, Sergey Melik-Bagdasarov. In a June 2, announcement on Twitter, Moïse said the two “discussed the prospects for strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries,” (which essentially implied Haiti had opened its doors wide for Russian military interventions and personnel training on multiple levels. But things were still at the incubation stages.)

A month after the historic, open display of partnership with Russia, Moïse was dead, shot 12 times in his private bedroom in the hills above Port-au-Prince after a group of Haitian Americans, Haitian nationals and former Colombian soldiers failed to kidnap him two weeks earlier when he returned from an overseas trip to Turkey, where it is believed he had met with Russians to evade the prying eyes of the west, especially the USA.

When the news of his death broke, the nation was thrown into mourning. Protests broke out everywhere, with Hatians accusing the imperialist forces (chief of which is the U.S.) of brutally assassinating their president. Gang warfare escalated and insecurity in Haiti degenerated beyond control. Amidst all the confusion and protests in much of Haiti over the brutal assassination of Moise, American President Joe Biden was quick to throw his weight behind a quick replacement for Moise in the person of Prime Minister Ariel Henry who filled the void. So, a Russian-leaning Moise was assassinated and a Biden-supported Ariel was immediately railroaded to power, to replace him amidst protests – just for the records.

The choice of Ariel and the fact that he has been supported by the U.S. president to quickly replace Moise at a time that no one has been able to explain what happened to Moise further infuriated Haitians who already seem to have developed a deep-seated hatred towards the USA, whom they believe is at the center of nearly all the political, social and economic woes of Haiti.

Protests across Haiti quickly took a turn for the worst and then something that hadn’t happened before happened: Haitian protesters were seen in their numbers waving Russian flags! According to a news article in the Haitian publication, AyiboPost, as recently as October 18, 2022, an author, Boaz Anglade, asserts that an undercurrent of pro-Russian sentiment in Haiti already existed prior to the current crises, but that recent events have made it far more widespread than previously. Anglade states that there has always been a fringe segment of Haitian society that has idolized leaders and nations who they perceive as defying US imperialism, but that this fringe had previously been limited to self-described socialists and socially-conscious university students.

The writer is a Pan Africanist based in London, Political scientist & International Relations expert, studied conflict Resolution, a member of Royal African Society (RAS) Founder /Chairman Pan African Forum (UK)Ltd @MatsangaDr

Stories Continues after ad

Driving Economic Inclusion: Coca-Cola Beverages Africa Empowers Women Across the Continent

By
Our Reporter
-

On International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, the spotlight shines on the critical role of the private sector in advancing the economic inclusion of women in Africa. Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) stands at the forefront, leveraging its industry leadership to drive positive change across the continent. Recognizing that the success of its business is intertwined with the prosperity of the communities it serves, CCBA has made the economic inclusion of women a cornerstone of its sustainability strategy.

Melkamu Abebe, Managing Director at Coca-Cola Beverages Uganda (CCBU), underscores the company’s commitment to fostering greater shared opportunity throughout the value chain. CCBA’s initiatives aim to enhance skills and business knowledge among women, thereby expanding their access to economic opportunities.

In Tanzania, CCBA runs the “Mwanamke Shujaa” (“A Brave Woman”) program, which provides training and mentorship to women food vendors. Participants receive essential tools and guidance in areas such as bookkeeping, customer care, stress management, and capital growth, empowering them to grow their businesses.

In Ethiopia, CCBA’s “Women in Engineering” trainee program offers female engineering students valuable development opportunities and exposure to the company’s operations, positioning them for future employment. Similarly, in Ghana, CCBA subsidiary Voltic partners with Girls in Science and Technology (GIST) to mentor and coach women pursuing careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

In South Africa, CCBA supports female students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds through a bursary fund at the University of Pretoria, specifically targeting those in their final year of engineering studies. Meanwhile, in Mozambique, CCBA champions economic inclusion by providing training to women plastic waste collectors, empowering them to educate their communities about the benefits of recycling.

Abebe emphasizes CCBA’s commitment to creating a better shared future, enhancing small businesses, and improving livelihoods for women and communities. Through a holistic approach, both within and outside the organization, CCBA aims to inspire inclusion and drive meaningful change across Africa.

Stories Continues after ad
1...283284285...2,418Page 284 of 2,418

© Eagle Online. All rights reserved.

About Us

Popular Category

Editor Picks