Stanbic Bank
Stanbic Bank
26.6 C
Kampala
Stanbic Bank
Stanbic Bank
Home Blog Page 652

“Believe in Your Dreams!” – Lynette Akol, 2018 overall winner of dfcu Bank’s Rising Woman Initiative

By
Our Reporter
-
Lynette Akol on the night of the awards

Out of the desire to increase a longer shelf life for fruits, Lynette Akol started Krystal Ice Limited. Her vision was clear vision – to provide market for the fruit produce of smallholder farmers by using them as raw materials for frozen fruit ice pops.The business owner understood that the linkages along the agricultural value chain would be instrumental for the growth of her Company but also play a role in cementing Uganda’s vision of Buy Uganda, Build Uganda.

For the past five years, dfcu Bank in partnership with Daily Monitor and Uganda Investment Authority (UIA) have run a program dubbed ‘Rising Woman’ which is aimed at recognizing, celebrating, and promoting a culture of mentorship among women in business in Uganda.

In 2018, Lynette Akol participated in the Rising Woman proposal writing competition and emerged the overall winner. In an interview, she shares her experience then and the current standing of her business.

1.       Tell us about yourself and the business you do

My name is Lynette Akol, the Managing Director of Krystal Ice Limited, a food processing company. I am a woman entrepreneur and a mother. At Krystal Ice, we produce ice pops which are made from fruits sourced from small holder farmers.

2.       What was your experience participating in the Rising Woman competition?

I remain grateful that the Rising Woman experience was as transparent and fair as it was rigorous. Being the pioneer winner was humbling, educational and it gave my business the opportunity to achieve more success.

3.       What was your key highlight participating in the Rising Woman competition?

The night when I was announced the overall winner was my highlight. It was a very ceremonious event with high profile guests! Achieving that level of and receiving the award and cheque was a reaffirmation that I was on the right path.

4.       Looking back to when you started, how did the Rising Woman program/competition change you/impact on you?

Before becoming a part of the Rising Woman program, I wasn’t quite sure that I was taking the right direction so the opportunity to test my will, determination and belief in my business came at the right time. It was also a learning and empowering journey; the program helped me to become more efficient and effective in the way I manage the business.Now I have more confidence in what I do. And thanks to the training we received in Nairobi, Kenya, interacting with the other businesswomen in Nairobi helped me to build my confidence in the way I was doing business.After listening to their stories, I was sure I too, could reach the summits of entrepreneurial success.

5.       If you were to go back in time, what would you have done differently?

Honestly, I don’t think I would change anything, the whole process was transparent and well organized. I also believe that the different partners did well to have women involved at each step of the competition. Representation matters because there are unique challenges faced by women in entrepreneurship that can best be understood by other women.

6.       What progress have you registered as a business and as an individual?

It has been and still is quite the journey! It has enabled me to develop growth strategies for what I believe is a strong brand; giving us more ground to succeed. The competition also helped me understand my business better by making me write a business proposal. That forces you to think and dig deep.

7.       What opportunities have you received because of your participation in the Rising Woman competition?

The exposure and visibility created by dfcu Bank, Daily Monitor and Uganda Investment Authority helped me position my business better. When customers have read your story and believe in it, you have to deliver well, consistently.

I was a recipient of the GroWe Award, the business received a business development service from Feed the Future who helped us design marketing and distribution strategies.

8.       What advice would you give to a woman entrepreneur who is still undecided about joining this year’s Rising Woman Initiative on joining the Rising woman competition?

Overall, you have to believe in yourself and your dreams because no one will do that for you. It is important to leverage your social networks, be resilient and have passion for what you are doing because without passion, it’s easy to throw in the towel.

9.       Please share some tips for anyone planning to join the competition

I would just tell them to submit their proposals because everyone is a winner, in the long run.

10.    Where do you see your business heading?

It’s been tough, many businesses have been affected by Covid-19, but now we have started to see light at the end of the tunnel. I see my products being available everywhere and accessible in supermarkets throughout Uganda, East Africa and beyond. I would like to have a strong, socially responsible brand that is internationally recognized.

Monitor Publications Limited’s (MPL) flagship brand Daily Monitor in partnership with dfcu Women in Business Program and Uganda Investment Authority-UIA are running the fifth season of the Rising Woman campaign. The objectives of the campaign include; recognizing, celebrating, and promoting a culture of mentorship among women in business in Uganda.An all-expenses paid study trip to Nairobi for the top 10 winners and cash prizes of up to Shs 30 million are up for grabs for the top three winners.

Stories Continues after ad

Judicial Service Commission appoints 35 Chief Magistrates

By
Our Reporter
-
Chairperson of the Judicial Service Commission - Justice Benjamin Kabiito

The Judicial Service Commission has appointed 35 officers to the office of Chief Magistrate in acting capacity in the Judiciary Service.

The appointment of these 35 Chief Magistrates brings the total number of Judicial Officers in this category to 74. This appointment constitutes the largest number of Judicial Officers ever appointed in this category by the Commission in one go.

The recruitment is in fulfillment of the expanded Judiciary structure whose goal is to have Chief Magistrates deployed at every District in the Country, to improve access to Justice to the people.

The appointed Chief Magistrates will work in acting capacity for a period of one year during which they will be appraised on a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPI s) set by the Commission and the Judiciary to assess their performance before confirmation into the Judiciary Service on permanent and pensionable basis for this position.

Full list:

Stories Continues after ad

Analysing the national budget: The tricks government officials play to cheat taxpayers

By
Our Reporter
-
Finance Minister, Matia Kasaija.

In June 2022, as has been the norm, the Minister of Finance Matia Kasaijja will read the national budget to Ugandans who will be hooked to their radio and television sets, as well as social media platforms to know what is in store for them in the financial year 2020/2023 as the country prepares to spend over Shs45 trillion.

The national budget is an amalgamation of the money that each sector of government intends to spend in the given financial year. Ministries, departments, agencies, and local governments prepare their budgets earlier so as to fit in the budget cycle that runs from July to June.

However, it has become known that not all the votes that officials budget for are genuine. Falsehoods seem to be a parcel and part of the budgeting process in Uganda.

Uganda is on record for losing trillions of shillings every year to corruption. The budgeting process is one of the avenues that public officials use to siphon taxpayers’ money.

Though not clearly spelled out, Members of Parliament scrutinize budgets for different ministries and departments to catch officials who steal public money through budgeting.

For instance for the coming financial year, we have seen MPs on different committees decline to approve the money for some votes. This is because the planned expenditures are questionable and put taxpayers’ money at risk.

Planning activities not in mandate

For instance, MPs on Parliament’s Committee on Tourism Trade and Industry did not approve Shs10.5 billion asked by Uganda Warehouse Receipt System Authority (UWRSA) to repair storage facilities. According to the MPs, this activity does not fall under the mandate of UWRS. So why did the officials at UWRS ask for that money?

Concealing information on dead, retired or transferred workers

In the education and health sectors, accounting officers continue to use numbers of retired or dead employees in their budgeting process. A recent research done in certain secondary schools established that problem. This problem, according to the researchers, is a result of cliques, right from the lower district to the ministries.

Refusal to transfer balances to consolidated fund

Some of the government officials intentionally refuse to transfer funds to consolidated funds at the end of the financial year as required by the Public Finance management Act. The officials want to withhold that money for their own selfish interests. An official from the Finance ministry says they have on several occasions reminded officials in different ministries and departments to transfer the money to the consolidated fund. “Can you imagine some tables for the next budgets without telling us how they used the money in the previous financial year,” the official from the ministry said.

Unnecessary procurement

Yet some government officials have found another way of cheating the public of their money. It is through unnecessary procurement where they budget for certain items and services, well knowing they don’t need them that much. “Remember those in procurement departments secretly get commission on the items and services ordered,” said a young procurement officer in one of the ministries, who says his seniors in the department are very rich because of procurement.

Fixing workers’ salaries on fixed bank accounts

Further, some officials, especially district local governments, have the habit of holding workers’ salaries in fixed bank accounts in order to earn interest on it. When you move around villages in Uganda you will find newly recruited teachers and health workers complaining of nonpayment of their salaries for three or more months. “Sometimes sharp teachers have had to call Kampala to have the money released.

Hiding budget information

It is not a secret that some officials, especially those in districts, hide budget information from colleagues with the intention to cheat. Some of the activities they appropriate, especially in local governments, are questionable. Not long ago it was established that a district in the Sebei region was given over Shs50 million to construct a bridge but it would only spend less than a million on the same facility. This is the kind of example where some officials hid budget information.

Some agencies’ top executives make it hard have governing boards, it is for a reason

In the on-going scrutiny of the budget of 2022/2033 budget frameworks, MPs have had to bitterly ask why some agencies don’t have governing boards. Boards are meant to check excesses of the executives of agencies, for example by questioning their expenditures. This is how important the boards are. Just days ago, Uganda Export Promotion Board was almost denied funds for the next financial year due to lack of a governing board. It was saved by the Speaker of Parliament.

These are some of the reasons why some Ugandans don’t have interest in their national budget. “That one is for government people. They are the ones who benefit from it,” said a trader in Kampala, when asked to comment about the upcoming budget.

Stories Continues after ad

Museveni to convene NRM Caucus over soaring prices of essential commodities

By
Our Reporter
-
President Museveni

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Chairman, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has called the Party Parliamentary Caucus meeting, Eagle Online has lerant.

According to a letter to the Secretary General of NRM Richard Twodong, the Caucus meeting is slated to take place tomorrow at Kololo independence grounds.

“This is to inform you that His Excellency the president will chair the NRM Caucus meeting on the 26th April 2022 at Kololo independence grounds,” Kenneth Omona the private press secretary to Museveni said.

Omona said the purpose of the meeting is for members to receive a brief of the Country’s economic situation. Currently the country is grappling with soaring prices of essential commodities.

According to the minister of Finance planning and Economic Development, the skyrocketing prices are linked to high prices of fuel and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Mr. Brandon Kintu, the Caucus Spokesperson said other issues of agenda include, Lubowa Hospital and the coffee Agreement that has attracted criticisms over the past week..

Stories Continues after ad

Internal Affairs stuck with over 10,000 passports

By
Our Reporter
-
Passports

The Ministry of Internal Affairs has revealed that it is stuck with over 10,000 electronic passports. The revelation was made by Mr. Simon Peter Mundeyi, the spokesperson to the ministry of Internal Affairs.

On April 4th, 2022 Uganda phased out machine readable passports (MRP) after a two years campaign and adopted electronic passports as legal travel documents.

“We have over 10,000 passports at the passport office ready for collection. I want to call upon Ugandans who paid and went for the interview to go and collect their passports,” he said.

“We phased out the old passports on 4th April but a number of Ugandans are still being inconvenienced at the airport after they show up with the old passports. These are no longer in use. Ugandans are advised to apply for new passports,” he said.

He urged Ugandans who are desperately in need of passports to desist from using third parties. If you see anyone who wants to help you get a passport, run. The procedure of applying for a passport is very easy and can be done on the phone.

He said; “We are opening a call center at the Ministry of Internal Affairs for anyone who would like to find out about our services. This number will be provided in a week. We have increased the workstations and staff at the passport office, so we are not experiencing long lines.”

Stories Continues after ad

Mike Mutebi sacked by AS Kigali

By
Our Reporter
-
Jackson Mayanja and Mike Mutebi

Rwandan club AS Kigali have parted ways with Ugandan tactician Mike Mutebi and his assistant Jackson Mayanja.

Having been appointed on January 19, 2022, the duo depart after serving for only three months of their two-year contract.

The two have been sacked due to poor results with their last game being a 1-0 defeat to Rayon Sport on Saturday.

In total, they managed 3 wins, 3 losses and 7 draws in the 13 games they handled, scoring 15 goals and conceding 12.

At the time of their departure, they leave AS Kigali in 5th on the 16-table log of the Rwanda Premier League.

Former Bandari FC head coach, Cassa Mbungo André will replace Mike Mutebi on interim basis until the end of the season.

Stories Continues after ad

Mbire acquires more shares in MTN

By
Our Reporter
-
Charles-Mbire

City businessman Charles Mbire has acquired more shares in MTN.

The transaction was confirmed by a source in Stanbic bank who didn’t want to be revealed because she lacks authority to speak for the bank.

“It is true Mr. Mbire has bought more shares but wait for details in the statement we are about to issue,” she said.

Mbire who is also the board chairman of MTN previously held 4 per cent of the total MTN shares. MTN launched Initial Public Offer of 4.4 billion shares to the Ugandan market last year after floating 20 per cent shares on Uganda Securities Exchange. 

Stories Continues after ad

African Chief Justices urged to formulate frameworks regulating digital technologies

By
Our Reporter
-
Deputy Chief Justice, HL Richard Buteera

Chief Justices and other distinguished jurists have today concluded a four-day high level Judicial Symposium on Digitization and Internet Governance in Nairobi to share experiences, ideas and perspectives on the administration of justice and the question of digitization and internet governance.

The Ugandan Judiciary was represented by the Deputy Chief Justice, HL Richard Buteera, who delivered a paper titled “Digital Transformation of Judiciaries in Africa and Experience in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic”.

The Deputy Chief Justice, who represented the Chief Justice, shared the Ugandan Judiciary’s experience to deliver justice amidst Covid-19 protocols. “The Judiciary had to devise means of ensuring that Justice would continue to be administered to the citizens in the circumstances created by Covid-19,” he said.

Adding that the use of Information and Communication Technology had to be fully exploited to ensure that people from whom Judicial authority is derived continued to get Justice.

He stressed the need for Judiciaries in Africa to adopt to the emerging new technologies if they are to match and fit within the current global world. “The application of appropriate Digital Transformation Strategies in the Judiciaries across Africa can aid in access to Justice by all,” he said.

The DCJ noted that COVID-19 is a Pandemic that has had negative consequences to the administration of justice. Some good lessons have been learnt especially in the utilization of Information Communication Technology to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 Pandemic but also to enhance the administration of justice.

This was a call that was reiterated by the Kenyan Chief Justice, Martha Koome, who called upon the Chief Justices to design regulatory frameworks and adopt approaches to judicial intervention in disputes over digitization and internet governance that ensure digital technologies and the internet work for the greatest benefit of the society.

“In my view, we should approach the digital world as a global public good. Under such a conception of the digital world we would see the problems associated with digitization and internet, such as cybercrimes, misinformation, political propaganda and the propagation of hate speech as polluters of our common/shared resources,” she said.

The Kenyan Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu, noted that the Judiciary of Kenya was keen and eager to utilize and exploit the vast knowledge and experiences across sister jurisdictions represented at the Symposium.

Stories Continues after ad

Kyabazinga hails MTN Uganda’s Ramadan Initiative

By
Our Reporter
-
The Kyabazinga of Busoga at the Ramadan with MTN event held at his Royal Palace last evening

As Muslims draw closer to the end of the fasting period, MTN Uganda alongside Salam Charity has continued to deliver assorted food items to various underprivileged Muslim and refugee communities, in a bid to reaffirm its longstanding relationship with the Muslim community across the country.

This week’s handover of alms commenced with the Luzira prisons in Kampala before moving to the refugee communities of Elegu and Yumbe in the northern part of the country.

To crown the week’s Ramadan handovers, two ceremonies were concurrently held in Gulu and Busoga Kingdom.

In a Ramadan handover ceremony held at the Igenge palace in Jinja district last evening, His Royal Highness, Kyabazinga William Kadhumbula GabulaNadiope IV commended MTN Uganda for its continued support to the Muslim fraternity in his Kingdom.

Meanwhile, at the Iftar dinner held at the Boma Hotel in Gulu, Hon. Grace Freedom Kwiyucwiny, the StateMinister incharge of Northern Uganda urged all Ugandans to emulate MTN and Salam Charity by supporting one another for the growth and development of the country.

Sheikh Musa Khalil, the Acholi District Khadhi thanked MTN for traversing the entire country to reach out to all the Muslims across the country and prayed a blessing on the company as well as Salam Charity for the commendable work they are doing for the people of Allah.

Since 2017, MTN Uganda has worked with Salam Charity to reach out to the Muslim fraternity across the country during Ramadan. This year’s Ramadan project is being executed under the theme; “A giving heart”, as a way of fostering benevolence as the country recovers from the effects of the nearly two-year-long Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.

The alms include; Sugar, rice, baking flour, cooking oil, salt, and soap among other assorted food items.

As was the case last year, MTN has brought back the special Ramadan bundles offer to ease communication during the fasting period. At only 500/=, all its customers will get 30 MTN minutes and 100MBs valid from midnight to 5am. This offer is open to all MTN customers; Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

Stories Continues after ad

Principal Judge survives gun attack on Masaka Road

By
Our Reporter
-
Principal Judge Dr. Flavian Zeija.

The Principal Judge Dr Flavian Zeija has survived an assassination attempt along Masaka Road. 

The judiciary said in a statement released on Sunday afternoon that the incident occurred on Saturday evening when unknown gunmen shot at his convoy.

“The Judiciary has learnt with dismay of a gun attack on the Hon. the Principal Judge Dr Flavian Zeija, that occurred on Saturday evening at about 7:00pm along the Kampala-Masaka highway, when unknown gunmen shot at his convoy. Thankfully the Principal Judge and the entire team escaped unhurt from the incident,” part of the statement read. 

“The Judiciary condemns in the strongest terms such barbaric conduct whose intentions are only known to those who engage in such acts of unlawfulness. This was an act of cowardice and we are confident that the perpetrators shall at an appropriate time be brought to book.”

The Judiciary urged the public to remain calm as the responsible authorities undertake their investigative role.

Uganda Police Force has commenced investigations into the incident.

The Principal Judge is responsible for supervising the justices of the High Court, including the assignment of duties to members of the Court. 

Stories Continues after ad
1...651652653...2,427Page 652 of 2,427

© Eagle Online. All rights reserved.

About Us

Popular Category

Editor Picks