By Our Reporter 

It was an explosive throwback night as the Smirnoff sponsored NTV Dance Party gave a special tribute to old school hits in what they dubbed the Kikadde Edition on Saturday night.

With the festive season around the corner, and bars and clubs still under lockdown, revelers continue to turn to TV for weekend entertainment and the Dance Party didn’t disappoint.

To kick-start the show, the dazzling Lynda Ddane, vibrant Crysto Panda , MC Esco and Uganda’s top spin doctors DJ Ciza, DJ Pitto and VJ Baby Love treated the viewers to a joyful dance fest with their signature moves.

Undisputed oldies music top spin master DJ Mark Rebel then took to the decks and took viewers down memory lane.

From Oliver Mtukudzi’s Todii, Halima Namakula’s Ekimbewo to Brenda Fassie’s Ag Lovey Shame, the show was a cocktail of the early 2000 favourites mixed with the 90s and 80s bangers. The nonstop beats and grooves were infectious as many took it to social media to praise the show.

To make the virtual party complete, the amplified bartenders pulled off some mixologist tricks before sharing the special Smirnoff cocktail recipes for people at home to mix their own drinks and seal off the night.

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Dorothy Kisaka, the Executive Director of KCCA refills cars with the new Ultratec Fuel by RUBiS Energy.

By Our Reporter

RUBiS Energy Uganda has launched RUBiS UltraTec, its first advanced fuel technology that is set to revolutionize fuel and engine performance for Ugandan motorists.

UltraTec is designed to improve vehicle engine cleanliness and performance while saving customers money and ensuring fuel efficiency.

While addressing guests at the launch, the Rubis Group CEO Jean Christian Bergeron reiterated RUBiS’s mandate and proposition in investing and building the Ugandan economy through the trade of quality fuel and fuel products.

“RUBiS Energy acquired two companies in 2019 and over the last two years we have invested more than 20 million dollars as part of our initial investment in further developing the sector while expanding our footmark,” he said.

Jean Christian noted that, “We have improved on the assets bought and diverted our effort in promoting LPG -cleaner cooking energy solution. Our strategy in reducing our carbon footprint is key and we intend to further this agenda even in 2022 and beyond.”

Dorothy Kisaka, the Executive Director at Kampala City Center Authority (KCCA) congratulated RUBiS Energy Uganda for their milestones and appreciated the team for its contribution towards the development of Uganda. She said that, “Over the next 5 years, the government of Uganda is investing heavily in infrastructure, and we need business people whose infrastructure match what the government is investing in, and I’m glad that Rubis stations illustrate this important aspect with its new rebrand.”

In order to serve the diverse needs of RUBiS’ customers, Ultratec is available in two fuel types: Ultra Tec Petrol and UltraTec Diesel, each of which provides the superior vehicle performance and fuel efficiency benefits of the Ultra Tec additive at no additional cost to the customer.

Rebecca Nassiwa, the Marketing manager, RUBiS Energy Uganda explained that RUBiS UltraTec thoroughly cleans the engine of dirt build up, leading to improved power and acceleration with less emissions. It also improves fuel economy.

“UltraTec enhances optimum fuel consumption by removing residue build up and protecting the vehicle against internal fuel system corrosion as well as prevents unsafe exhaust emissions,” she explained revealing that, “UltraTec Diesel also has anti-foaming properties that ensure an actual full tank giving customers value for money.”

Ultratec is now available in all RUBiS, Kobil and Delta stations countrywide.

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Patrick Ayota, the NSSF Deputy Managing Director.

By Our Reporter

National Social Security Fund has won Gold and two Silver accolades at the International Customer Experience awards 2021.

The Fund was recognized as a Gold winner in the category of Best Use of Customer Insight and Feedback in the Financial Services sector (under 5000 employees), for its response to COVID-19 pandemic where it redefined internal policies and processes to meet customer needs. It beat competition in this category that included National Bank of Kenya, Telesure Investments Holdings (South Africa), Balta Insurance (Latvia) and Allianz (Turkey).

For the Silver accolades, the Fund was recognized in the category of Customer Experience in a crisis in the Financial Services, for its shift to using e-channels to serve customers during the COVID-19 induced lockdowns.

In the category of Employee Experience in a crisis- Financial Services, NSSF was awarded for its ability to keep their employees engaged and motivated to serve customers from anywhere. Competition in these two categories was from financial institutions in Russia, Ireland and United Kingdom.

Initiated in 2010 by Awards International – the world’s premier awards events organisation, the International Customer Experience Awards are aimed at celebrating the incredible work done by customer experience professionals worldwide.

“This award confirms that our self-service and ubiquity strategy is on the right track to attain our strategic target of 95% customer satisfaction by 2025. We are still on a journey to redefine our businesses processes to help us achieve this goal and this win has surely motivated us to aspire for greater interventions in the customer experience space,” said Patrick Ayota, NSSF Deputy Managing Director about the recognitions.

He added that the Fund is mainly focusing on technology to transform its customer engagement and experience. “Currently, our customer satisfaction rate stands at 86%. This has been made possible from interventions that included self-registration on USSD, a chatbot called Sanyu to handle common customer queries, automated Queue Management system, Interactive Voice Responses and financial literacy sessions,” Ayota said.

NSSF is the first organization in Uganda to emerge Gold winner in the International Customer Experience awards. It is also the only organization from Africa to win Gold and Silver in three categories out of the four nominations that made it to the finals.

The post NSSF wins International Customer Experience Awards appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By Reporter

Nigeria-based Mobility-as-a-Service platform Treepz (formerly Plentywaka) has acquired Ugabus, a Ugandan bus company that aggregates inter-city bus operators. While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, Onyeka Akumah, CEO and co-founder of Treepz, reporters that the acquisition was funded with a recent $1.5 million raise that acted as an extension to a previous seed round.

The seed extension, which came from new investors including Japan-based Uncovered Fund, Dubai-based Blanford Capital and Jonomi Capital and Egypt-based Jedar Capital, adds onto an August raise of $1.3 million, funding Treepz used to purchase Stabus, a Ghanian bus company, to fund its expansion plans across the continent. Treepz is closing the seed round at $2.8 million.

The acquisition, which will see Treepz fully acquire all of Ugabus’s operations and staff, marks Treepz’s first entry into the East African market. Ugabus, which will be renamed Treepz Uganda on December 1, currently has 70% of all the country’s bus operators on its platform, which includes around 50,000 customers that use the service to travel between cities in Uganda, according to Treepz.

“We’ll be able to service most of the major cities in Uganda, but the good thing about East Africa is they have very seamless borders between the countries, so it’s easy to move from Uganda to Rwanda, Uganda to Tanzania, Tanzania to Burundi, and so forth,” Akumah told TechCrunch. “The plan is to extend into Tanzania and Burundi first. Those are places we will pay attention to next year. We are also really interested in Ethiopia. So the same thing we were doing with Ghana, across Ghana to Togo and Benin from Nigeria for the West African region. So next year, we will consolidate on our positions on East Africa and West Africa and start collapsing into on in Sub Saharan Africa.”

In Lagos, Treepz’s hometown, the startup’s business model consists of three verticals. The main service, “Daily Treepz,” is like Uber for minivans and buses. It offers riders in a city fixed daily routes from bus stop to bus stop, allowing them to reserve seats using the app and pay via a digital wallet system. “Travel Treepz” is the startup’s intercity bus service, which allows Treepz to act as an aggregator for other bus companies, similar to what Ugabus’s model is. Finally, Treepz has recently introduced corporate bookings, providing transportation services for businesses.

When Treepz Uganda launches this week, it’ll start with intercity and corporate services.

“We will look at the opportunity of doing Daily Treepz there in the future, but for now it’s easier for us to launch there with what we already have and what the team is already used to,” said Akumah.

Intracity trips account for the majority of Treepz customers, said Akumah, because it’s a daily service that people use twice a day, five days per week, spending an average of $2 to $3 everyday commuting.

“Bus operators are starting to see us as a technology partner against competition,” said Akumah. “The Treepz technology as an inventory management system can now be used by the bus operators to power their different systems. And that in turn, turns out to be a tremendous opportunity for growth for us. So we see a future where as we aggregate bus operators for city to city, and we also work with bus operators within cities. It just grows the numbers over time around the transactions that happen on our platform.”

In addition to the seed funding, Treepz also recently received funds from Google’s African Investment Fund, which the startup will use to aggressively expand its on-demand ride-sharing and intercity bus ticketing services in Africa. The company had previously outlined plans to expand as far as Toronto, where Treepz has backing after being accepted into Techstars Toronto, but is focusing instead on helping digitize and modernize the African transportation ecosystem.

“Treepz is building the most important mobility infrastructure in Africa’s megacities,” said Takuma Terakubo, CEO and general partner of Uncovered Fund, in a statement. “The development of public transportation is essential in African countries where urbanization is advancing.”

The post Ugabus Acquired by Treepz in a lucrative Deal appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By Reporter

Celebtrated Artiste of the year 2021 Pallaso has once again exhibited his charitable heart today when he donated all the money he received from the fundraising to him fellow artistes. Pallaso who collected 5.4M from the fundraising he started last week has today donated more than 7.5M to Ray BigTym and The Ghetto kids.

Donations

Pallaso who collected 5.4M from his fans donated 1M to Ray Bigytm who days ago came back to the limelight for not very pleasant reasons after years of struggling financially. Pallaso faced Ray and blessed him with 1M cash.

Pallaso remaining with 4.4M topped up a whole 3.4M to make 7.5M and today visited the ghetto kids.

Why Ray Bigtym and Ghetto Kids?

According to Pallaso his intentions to donate 1M to Ray was to facilitate his medication after his long illness. “I want to see Ray back on his feet and shine again with his beautiful voice” he added.

The ghetto kids who received 7.5M got on the lucky side of the singer because he has been a long time fan of the dancing group. Also, according to Pallaso, the ghetto kids have been out of school for more than 2 years and out of action for the same time. The 7.5M is intended to aid them feed and have a proper upkeep whilst they wait for schools and events to re-open.

About Pallaso fundraising

Pallaso last week set a 100M fundraising to redeem his Range Rover from URA. However, because it was for a short time he did not get the 100M target so he deliberately donated the collected funds.

Remarks

Pallaso also showed great appreciation to his fans for loving and standing with him all these years. “I thank my fans who even in these very hard Covid-19 hard times have raised fund amounting to 5.4M. Their love has been undoubtedly been noticed always.” He said.

Pallaso also thanked Davido for starting the trend and exhibiting that giving back is a spirit and heart. “Davido has shown us that we are ao much loved. He haa also taught us that giving back is from the heart. I thank him for that”

The post Pallaso donates fans’ contribution to struggling Ray BigTym and Ghetto Kids appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By Reporter

When you think he should be favourite for his category after 2 years of making it to too charts, singer Mudra has declined to getting any nod at the Buzz Teens awards that opened their nominations a day ago.

Mudra has for the past 2 years been a sensation with hits like Gwe Amanyi, Muyayu, Kimuli, among others have won him several fans and topped many charts.

Shockingly, Mudra has today expressed no desire to get nominated in the Buzz Teens Awards 2021 that were recently activated. Mudra got nominated for Teenz Hottest Songwriter category.

Mudra has however through gis social media platforms expressed that he wouldn’t want to be part of the awards. “I have been here only 2 years, I am not ready yet for any awards” he said.

The post New star singer Mudra snubbs Buzz Teens Awards appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By BigEyeUg Team

Renonwed National Resistance movement blogger Ibrahim Tusubiira alias Isma Olaxess (Jajja Iculi) is in hot soup again after being charged for inciting violence.

This follows his summon to the CID headquarters in Kibuli on Tuesday climaxing bitterly as he was retained by the security operatives.

At the top investigation spot, Isma was interrogated on his vicious online comments he recently made on the Kampala twin bomb attack last week.

The news was confirmed by his friends who had accompanied him to the CID offices.

Upon sighting trouble, Isma earlier took it to his social media and expressed remorse for his disastrous video made as he claimed to have been emotional by that time.

However, all efforts to clean his name seem to have hit a dead-end now especially after his detainment.

Isma Olaxess’s disdainful words have also prompted his impeachment as the President of the Uganda Bloggers Association (UBA).

Its also understood that Isma will be arraigned before court on Wednesday, November 24, 2021 to face the charges.

This will be the second time the ‘motor-mouthed’ blogger is paraded in court as the most recent one was in October when he faced defamatory charges filed against him by singer Omurangira Suuna.

We will keep you posted

The post Blogger Isma Olaxess’s court session set for Wednesday appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By BigEyeUg Team

It’s a jovial moment for sensational singer Edrisa Musuuza a.k.a Eddy Kenzo and Uganda at large after winning big in the 2021 AFRIMAs.

With his song “Weekend”, the multi-international-winning-singer the Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa trophy, beating Tanzania’s Diamond Platnumz (Waah Ft. Koffi Olomide), Rayvanny (Ft. Inoss’B), Kenya’s Sauti Sol (Rhumba Japani), and many others.

Basing in the USA, Eddy Kenzo expressed his gratification in a video towards his fans and friends worldwide for making him shine again in the top fleet African awards.

“Congratulations to all of us my people thank you. Producer Nesim thank you brother. It’s a weekend,” Eddy Kenzo wrote on his social media.

Other Ugandan artists who were nominated though didn’t bring any accolade home include; Spice Diana, Bebe Cool, Rema Namakula, DJ Harold, and B2C.

All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, in partnership with the African Union Commission, AUC, is an innovative awards platform that rewards excellence in the African music industry and showcases the cultural and entertainment uniqueness of Africa to the rest of the world.

The music property recognizes and rewards the work and talent of myriad of African artists from the old to the new generation of musicians.

About the AFRIMA trophy:

The AFRIMA Winner is rewarded at the Main Awards Show with a 23.9 Karat Gold Plated trophy that blends traditional and contemporary elements of music -the African Djembe drum and a microphone.

The Djembe drum is a musical instrument of the Bamana people of Mali and the word ‘Djembe’ is coined from a popular saying in the Bamana culture “Anke dje, anke” which translates in English to “Everyone gather together in peace”.

A common thread that runs in our culture and our very being as Africans is music. Although varying in beats and in rhythm, depending on the region, we love music. It uplifts, inspires, motivates and unites us.

Congratulations Eddy Kenzo!

The post Eddy Kenzo elated by the ‘Best East African male’ crown in the 2021 AFRIMA appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By Our Reporter

Hariss International Limited, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Kasangati, has officially handed over the newly constructed classroom blocks at Shared Love Junior School in Makukuba village, Mukono district.

Hariss joined hands with the Rotary club in 2015 to facilitate the construction of two classroom blocks at the school.

The school which accommodates about 150 children from Primary one to seven was established under the company’s “Adopt a village” initiative. It also acts as a multi-purpose facility i.e. enabling vocational studies, and medical welfare among others.

Mr. Chadi. K. Ahmad, the Director Hariss International noted that, “Community transformation is at the core of who we are and what we do. This will not be last project. There we will be more to come.”

In the same regard, Hariss International has also adopted another  school, Grace School—Gonve, which is situated in the neighboring village, where they will also construct two classroom blocks.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony of the new classroom blocks at Gonve, Hariss International Public Relations Manager Racheal Luwedde said, “It is important for Hariss to redirect the funds generated from the support of the community back into the community. The company’s objective is to not only provide quality food and beverages but to also see the holistic growth of communities in our country.”

Hariss International has injected over 100 million into both projects.

The post Hariss International partners with Rotary Club of Kasangati to support local schools in Mukono appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By Reporter

Kansai Plascon Uganda launched the 10th Edition “Paint & Win” Colours of Celebration 10 week promotion on Friday, 1st October 2021 ending Sunday, 12th December, 2021.

On the weekend of Saturday 13th November, 2021 Plascon had the 6th winners of the ongoing Paint & Win promotion. It was a heartwarming moment to find out the winner of the motorbike was a lady, Ms. Evans Amara Muzinkduki from Fort Portal. She was so shocked and excited that she was speechless not believing her luck. Ms. Muzunduki said, “Glory to the Mighty God. I am humbled. I had no idea I would win this motorbike. I took a taxi from Fort Portal this morning and look at me going back with a motorbike.” Ms. Evans walked off with 1,000,000/= and her motorbike.

The Plascon winner The Plascon Paint & Win Week #7 winners smile after receiving their wins. smile after receiving their wins.

On the weekend of Saturday 21st November, 2021 the lucky winner of the 7th Paint & Win draw Home Makeover was Mr. Paul Okello, a Police Officer with Counter Terrorism who bought his paint from Ntinda Hardware World. He says he got the call from Mr. Daniel Kayongo – Brand Manager, Plascon but was very doubtful he believed these were bafele since many people keep getting conned. So he asked his friend to escort him to the Plascon Head Office on 2nd Street to ensure this was real! As you can all see, I am here standing here having won my 1,000,000/= plus his home in Lira is going to be painted by Plascon.

How to participate

1. Buy Plascon paint worth 100,000/- or more

2. Get a voucher and SMS the code to 7197 and stand a chance to win 1,000,000/- every day

3. Instant prizes will include airtime and pens and during the activations, t-shirts, caps, keyrings, drawstring bags and umbrellas.

4. Daily winners will get a chance to compete for an a motorbike or a home paint makeover through the weekly TV engagements.

The post Plascon rewards 6th and 7th winners of the paint and win promo appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By Our Reporter

MultiChoice Uganda has welcomed the next generation of passionate young film creatives to the Class of 2022.

Four aspiring Ugandan filmmakers—Nassanga Ann, Justine Nabunya, Phillip Sentamu, and Tusabe Ivan—began their 12-month training programme at the MTF Academy in October this year and have now been equipped with educational tools to enable them efficient access and complete their training.

“These final candidates were selected after a rigorous interview and adjudication process by film experts, as well as the regional Academy Director. They have now been equipped with hi-tech laptops and are now part of the growing MTF alumni network that spans 13 countries, taking African stories to the world.” Said Hassan Saleh, MultiChoice Uganda Managing Director.

The academy’s curriculum is tailored alongside MultiChoice Africa partner institutions Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos, University of Zambia and the Kenyatta University in Nairobi, which will respectively confer the course qualification upon completion of the academy programme.

In addition, The Henley Business School offers an orientation intervention to the students at the beginning and end of the 12-month programme as well workshops on Business for Creatives focussing on entrepreneurship.

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By Our Reporter

Equity Bank Uganda has launched their structural Commodity Finance product in Arua. The new product is a financing solution aimed at supporting the growth of agribusinesses and smallholder farmers in West Nile.

The structured commodity finance loan will allow agribusinesses to borrow against their agricultural inventory which can be used as collateral for security and repayment.

Agribusinesses stand to benefit from SCF by receiving financing to ensure that cash flow is available for maximum output; with the intention of repaying the loans once sale of the agricultural produce is complete.

Commenting about the new financing solution, Equity Bank Uganda’s Head of Retail Banking, Mr. George Kato said, that “with the new Structured Commodity Financing, farmers and agribusiness SMEs can now effectively manage their liquidity and mitigate against risks related to the production, purchase and sale of farm outputs.”

Working with the farmers, Equity will isolate assets which have relatively predictable cash flows attached to them through price discovery and discounting. The agribusinesses will then use these to mitigate risk and secure affordable credit with flexible repayment terms.

With the new facility, customers can now access a loan amounts of between shs 30 million to shs 5 billion at competitive interest rates per annum determined on a case-by-case basis and repayable within flexible periods as agreed during the application process.

Other than SCF financing, Equity offers farmers various financing solutions including production loans which aims at improving crop and livestock production, asset finance loans for farm machinery such as tractors, marketing loans and processing loans which allows them to add value to their farm inputs and increase sales.

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By Reporter

Castle Lite has launched a campaign to partner with the organizers of the Kampala Burger Week that will run from 15th – 30th November, 2020. The launch was at Riders Lounge, Acacia Place.

The Kampala Burger Week has over 40 participating restaurants that shall take part in set challenges from which winners shall be crowned. The over 40 participating restaurants will among others, be tasked to come up the most creative Burger menus to excite new and existing customers.

During the Kampala Burger Week, customers will be receiving a free Burger, Coca Cola and a cold Castle Lite for every Burger Purchase that they make.

To add spice and excitement in the Burger Week, organizers have planned a classic cook off. The Burger Cook Off Challenge will involve consumers who will be asked to get creative in making the most juicy and colorful Burgers in Kampala.

Speaking about the partnership, Castle Lite Brand Manager Joel Galla said that the beer brand is grateful for being part of such an exciting contest especially because it involves food stuffs; one of the elements of the responsible drinking campaign that Nile Breweries Limited (NBL) has been running.

“We are excited to be part of the Kampala Burger Week. The contest goes a long way in communicating how best we would like our consumers to enjoy Castle Lite – with a bite and never on an empty stomach. We are mostly excited for the Consumer Cook Off Challenge which we believe instills the habit of preparing some food before you start drinking.” He said.

Castle Lite is a product of Nile Breweries Limited (NBL).

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By Reporter

Gorreth Mary Nagganja, Miss Tourism Buganda was selected recently to represent the pearl Of Africa, Uganda in the Miss East Africa Beauty Competitions that will be hosted in Dar es salaam, Tanzania on the 17th of December 2021.

Miss East Africa is an annual competition with the strategic remit to empower women, Tourism, and The African Culture. The pageant will feature over 16 countries including – Tanzania, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Malawi, Somalia, Mauritius, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Comoros, reunion, Seychelles, Djibouti, Madagascar, and Eritrea.

Gorreth holds a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications Engineering and has been working in tech since 2018. She currently works with Lyca Mobile Uganda.

Gorreth is passionate about girl child empowerment, aspiring young girls to take on roles in male-dominated fields. She aspires to advocate for girls affected by teenage pregnancies, availing them with opportunities, a platform, and a second chance at education.

Queen Gorreth started her Ambassadorial duties recently as a tourism queen under the Miss Tourism Buganda Organization Managed by Nsubuga Ronnie who is also her manager. 

Gorreth was born in Masaka district and is the 3rd of seven children. She has an art appreciation and loves to swim.

The post Gorreth Mary Nagganja,27 years to represent Uganda at the Miss East Africa Beauty Competitions this December appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By Reporter

Singers Phina Mugerwa and Halima Namakula went head on at fairway hotel when Halima Namakula confronted, threatened and pushed Phina Mugerwa for spoiling a deal too good to be real.

Halima Namakula accuses Phina Mugerwa of bad mouthing her over the E Concert funds she got with Balunywa to enable artistes perform and earn. Apparently, Phina Mugerwa walked upto General Saleh Salim who was facilitating the E Concert and tried to sabotage it in an attempt to win it for herself. She may not have succeeded entirely, she did not get the E Concert Deal but neither did Halima Namakula retain it.

Yesterday was the first time since the rumor spread that the two met and it was a rough ground for them both. Namakuka walked upto mugerwa and pushed her hard as she poured her frustration out. A retaliating Phina denied allegations that fell on deaf ears.

The pair does not see eye to eye and that could be the first over 40 female to female Artiste beef.

The post Phina Mugerwa, Halima Namakula clash over Saleh Money appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By Our Reporter

Musician Lilian Mbabazi, and  TV personality Faridah Nakazibwe have been unveiled as Movit brand ambassadors.

They were unveiled on Tuesday as the cosmetics company  launched their latest body care product that is the All New Movit Family Soap.

They will work alongside actresses, Eleanor Nabwiso and Leilah Kalanzi Kachapizo, who were also unveiled at the same event, to promote the new Family Soap.

Speaking at the launch held at Movit Products Offices, Dr. Bruce Mpamizo, the Group CEO Movit Products reiterated the company’s commitment to innovation and delivering quality and affordable products to its customers.

“For over 20 years, Movit Products has endeavored to deliver quality and an extensive value proposition to our customers through our range of body care, hair care and baby care products. This has further seen our deliberate investment in research and technology to not only diversify our range of products but also provide customized solutions that speak to our versatile customer base,” he remarked.

Mpamizo added that, “the launch of the all new Movit Family Soap is clear manifestation of our commitment to fulfill our vision; ‘to be the preferred choice of beauty, comfort and care products in every household’ and mission; ‘enhancing everyday living’. To-date, we continue to pledge our continuous manufacturing of affordable, trusted personal care products and also extending them closer to our customers all-over Uganda and beyond.”

The family soap pack comes in two sizes—130g and 250g with four unique scents and colors including Aloe Vera, Rose, Lemon and Coconut.

In his remarks while addressing media at the launch, Mr. James Segawa, Managing Director Movit Products said, “As a company, we have a deep-rooted consideration of our people, and that is why our products are well blended to meet our customers’ needs and requirements. It is against this background, that we have designed a dedicated bathing soap with a great twist of unique scents, color variants and natural extracts that speak to a range of our customers’ tastes and preferences while delivering quality and affordability.”

The Movit Family Soap is already available countrywide at a recommended retail price of Ugx 2,000/- (130g) and Ugx 3,000/-(250g).

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By Ojok William

There is a general presumption and saying that capital has no home but within realistic parameters the home of capital is its place of origin because it always goes back with its profits or returns on investments.

Capital holds much more value in countries like Uganda where fixed deposits have monthly interest returns of up to 15% and 25 – 30% if invested in loans through commercial Banks as compared to developed countries where interest on loans is as low as 5%, 1% or even 0.5%. In some countries deposits actually accumulate a charge instead of earning interest.

Once foreign capital is brought in Uganda, it’s a requirement as provided under section 117 of the Financial Institution Act that a Financial Institution should acquire authorization from Bank of Uganda for regularization of such Financial Institution business meaning equally such Financial Institution Business attracts income Tax liabilities that should be paid to the Ugandan government for collective National development.

Foreign loans are very healthy for the economy as they attract capital, however, they should be done within parameters of the law where both the banks and Uganda as a nation benefit with government taxes paid instead of the current unlawful transactions in commercial banks where both the principal capital and profits are all fully repatriated without any taxes paid leaving the economy in absolute poverty.

Majority of commercial Banks in Uganda operate with foreign Capital, make huge profits as a result of high interest rate charged on loans, repatriate all the profits and all the principal back to its place of origin with zero Taxes paid. Unregulated foreign capital is more of a liability than an asset to the economy. As a result, Ugandan local businesses are heavily taxed with many collapsing simply because the existing Tax burden in the country is not evenly distributed as the huge economic players like Commercial Banks are paying less or nothing at all.

Every independent sovereign state protects its financial boundaries within parameters of both local and international laws to facilitate national growth.

However untaxed, uncontrolled and unregulated foreign capital, Case in point Uganda, sweeps the economy dry leaving the country in a constant state of absolute poverty.

Majority of Ugandans are not poor because they are weak, they lack capital to start anything reasonable in line with their individual progress or to invest towards national development. All capital is being repatriated out of the country by foreign commercial banks in the disguise of unregulated foreign exploitative oneway capital.

Uganda holds a population of 46M people with a limited narrow tax base of 2M registered taxpayers. The growth in population doesn’t reflect growth in our tax base because of lack of capital to start developmental projects that require huge capital investment.

Growth in population calls for growth in the national budget every year, however, with such a narrow tax base and given dynamics at hand how then can the government provide the required collective services like more roads, hospitals, educational services etc. to meet the population growth. That’s why URA keeps on revising tax rates upwards for the already existing few taxpayers to meet the budget which has seen so many small businesses collapse yet the solution would be in widening the tax base through making more Ugandans productive. This has equally proved hard due to limited capital as a result of unregulated profit repatriation through banks and foreign investors.

Secondly that’s why the Government keeps borrowing and looking up to donations to support our national budget every year.

Government equally heavily borrows from commercial banks as well yet it’s the same funds that have exploitatively been taken off Ugandans through high interest rates on unregulated foreign capital. Commercial banks heavily invest huge in government treasury bills and bonds for effective national exploitation with reduced risk as compared to lending to individual Ugandans.

As an effect of unregulated foreign capital, this has led to an increase in government borrowing, that’s why our national debt grows at a higher rate than national development. If this is not addressed as a matter of national interest in time, at a given future point in time the country shall stand too deeply indebted to save.

Foreign capital has to be controlled, regulated and taxed within parameters of both local and international laws for national collective development as a matter of national interest.

Regulation 13

Commercial Banks smuggled regulation 13 of the Mortgage Act into law which requires a person with a financial dispute with any Bank to first deposit 30% of any disputed amounts with such Bank before one can be heard by courts of law, which regulation stands repugnant and inconsistence with Article 21 of the constitution that provides for equality before the law and freedom from discrimination and Article 28 that provides for the right of fair hearing before courts of law. Why should Ugandans be subjected to payment before they can be heard by courts of law as if justice is for sale to Ugandans when it comes to commercial Banks. This condition has seen many Ugandans unlawfully lose their properties to these Banks. This regulation should be outlawed as a matter of National Interest.

About the author:

Ojok William is a Ugandan Financial Analyst based in the US. Email: williamojok36@gmail.com

The post Foreign Capital and Taxation as a matter of national interest appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By Our Reporter

Mizigo Express, an exciting comedy show that parodies what happens amongst rental homes aka “mizigo”, is returning for another season.

The show that features celebrated Ugandan comedians like Dickson Zizinga, Anne Kansiime and Akite Agnes has slowly grown to become a household favorite for most Ugandan family’s country wide.

Speaking about the new season, the producer of the series, Hannington Bugingo noted that, “Our audience should expect original humor from Uganda that cuts across all generations, clean content with the return of Anne Kansiime as Sam’s sister with her usual wit and humor. We have released a new season because of the demand from our audience, and as such our fans should look out for more.”

The new season premieres this Thursday on Pearl Magic Prime and Pearl Magic channels.

Margaret Mathore, the Channel Head for Pearl Magic and Pearl Magic Prime has reechoed MultiChoice’s commitment in pushing and providing a platform for local content like Mizigo Express among other shows that are aired.

“We are dedicated to tell the African story through the content we air on our channels. Mizigo Express is tailored specifically for the Ugandan audience and it without a doubt tells the Ugandan story of how families living in rentals relate through comedy.” She commented.

Joan Semanda Kizza the PR and Communications Manager MultiChoice Uganda commended the Mizigo Express team for their devotion towards the creation of a top comedy series suitable for their Ugandan audience.

“Ugandans love a good laugh especially with what they find relatable. Mizigo Express has managed to portray what happens in a typical mizigo keeping us longing for more in terms of the next season. We especially commend the show for premiering as many as 20 seasons on our platforms,” she added.

The post Mizigo Express set to premiere new season appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By Reporter

Levels Bar and Restaurant has launched a new campaigned called ‘Fine and Clean,’ aimed at changing the face of the lounge and comedy Guru Alex Muhangi has been unveiled as the official brand ambassador.

For this campaign, they partnered with a fitness body coach to make certain that you stay healthy from their restaurant/bar to the fitness club and carefully selected Kitchen Menu.

“Expect refreshing, immaculate and consistent services from levels, the procedural restructuring is meant to effectively streamline our operations and deliver quality services to our clients”- Levels C.E.O – Kazibwe Bobby stated.

Apart from the bar, restaurant and fitness club, Levels also carefully prepares tasty cocktails supplemented by a Fitness coach.

The post Alex Muhangi now Levels Lounge and restaurant Ambasador appeared first on BigEye.UG.

By Our Reporter

Rehmah Kasule, a renowned Ugandan author and gender & youth development expert, has published a new book titled: Zara & Mika Lead Positive Life Change in their Community.

The book features a collection of stories from children around Uganda. Through the stories the children, aged 8 to 13, share their perspectives and life experiences during the pandemic. The book also includes fun and engaging activities that allow children to engage with exercising gratitude, reflection, critical thinking, and problem- solving skills to build resilience in coping, surviving, and thriving during difficult times.

The book, published in hard copy, in e-version, and as an audio book, was created through the ongoing Mastercard Foundation COVID-19 Public Awareness Campaign aimed at promoting resilience and recovery among communities in Uganda.

The book is targeted at children in Uganda and the rest of Africa, as well as their parents and guardians.

Commenting on the book, Rehmah Kasule said she is delighted to publish the book, which was only a dream a few months ago. “This book gives our children an opportunity to tell and share their unheard COVID-19 stories and experiences with their peers and the world.”

She added that, while children are not considered to be at a high risk of contracting COVID-19, they have been affected by school closures and little information about coping with the crisis. Through the book, the children share stories of courage, resilience, hope, curiosity, and entrepreneurial spirit, which will surely inspire others. The book also captures the essence of Ugandan food, natural resources, daily lifestyles, and cultures that make Uganda vibrant in times of adversity.

Samuel Yalew Adela, Country Head Uganda at the Mastercard Foundation, commended the children who contributed to the book for their creativity, efforts, and resilience during this pandemic and lauded Kasule for the initiative and for bringing the book to life. “To solve any of the challenges facing our world today – including the pandemic – we have to listen to young people so we can build understanding and co-create solutions. We also need to give young people the tools to exercise their voice and agency. This is an excellent and inspiring example of both—a credit to the author, to the young people who participated, and to Uganda.”

“We are delighted that Kids Voice has offered children the opportunity to tell their stories and inspire their peers to freely share their stories. The Mastercard Foundation remains committed to collaborating with people and institutions that give a voice to children and young people in Uganda. We encourage them to speak up and to provide solutions to help them recover from the pandemic and remain resilient during this time,” Adela added.

Millions of school going-children have been affected by COVID-19. Save the Children , a global not-for-profit organization that champions the rights and interests of children worldwide, estimates that around 10 million children may never return to school after the pandemic.

The post Ugandan author, Rehmah Kasule captures experiences of Ugandan children during the pandemic in her new book appeared first on BigEye.UG.