When news broke that dfcu Bank was planning to return 22 buildings that they got from Bank of Uganda when they dubiously bought Crane Bank, the commercial bank called the news fake and encouraged the public to ignore it.

But it looks like dfcu was caught off guard and was watering down the news that would send their customers into the panicky mood and damage their business.

It has emerged that on 12^th September 2019, Mathias Katamba, the managing director of dfcu Bank, in a two paged letter wrote to the central bank seeking the attention of the governor Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile and his deputy Louis Kasekende informing them of the inevitable decision they had made.

This decision was that they intended to rescind their decision to purchase the 48 buildings (not just 22 buildings) that used to house Crane Bank – these buildings are owned by businessman Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia through his real estate investment company Meera Investments Limited.

Under the title ‘Reversionary Interest in Properties Acquired by Dfcu Bank Limited under the Purchase of Assets and Assumption of Liabilities Agreement of 25, January 2017’ dfcu gives reasons why they are changing their mind not to proceed with the deal of purchasing the buildings.

Below we reproduce the said letter which was duly signed by Katamba and Agnes Mayanja, the chief risk officer. The leaked letter, which was widely circulated on social media, is also marked confidential.

We refer to the Purchase of Assets and Assumption of Liabilities Agreement dated 25 January 2017 (the “Agreement”) pursuant to which dfcu Bank Limited (the Bank) acquired certain assets and assumed certain liabilities of Crane Bank Limited (in Receivership) (CBL).

Further reference is made to our correspondences on the subject matter, letters dated 30th August 2018 and 18th January 2019 from Bank of Uganda (BOU) and letters dated 26″) September 2018 and 13th August 2019 from the Bank under the AgreementBank of Uganda as the Receiver of Crane Bank Limited (In Receivership) undertook to recover the reversionary interest (the reversion) relating to 48 leasehold properties (MIL Properties) acquired by the Bank pursuant to the Agreement.

The reversion was to be recovered from Meera Investments Limited (MIL) within 24 months from the date of the Agreement. The Agreement gave the Bank the option to acquire the reversion once recovered by BOU or to rescind the purchase of the MIL Properties in the event that BOU was not able to recover the reversion within the said 24 months from the date of the Agreement (i.e. 25 January 2019).

BOU filed HCCS No. 493 of 2017 against Sudhir Ruparelia and MIL seeking among other things the return of the reversion.

Having realized that it was unlikely that the reversion would be recovered within the 24 months. BOU requested the Bank for an extension of the contract timelines which the Bank was amenable to. albeit subject to certain conditions which are reflected in the Bank’s letters dated 26” September 2018 and 13″, August 2019. To date BOU and the Bank have not reached any agreement on the extension. Following Court’s dismissal of HCCS No 493 of 2017 on 26th August 2019. it is unclear how long it will take BOU to recover the reversion from MIL. This state of affairs creates uncertainty for the Bank which is prejudicial to its business interests. In line with its strategic interests and risk management framework. the Board has resolved that it is in the best interest of the Bank to exercise the option to rescind the purchase of the MIL Properties.

The Bank hereby rescinds the purchase of the MIL Properties pursuant to clause 8.7 of the Agreement. Accordingly, in line with clause 8.8 of the Agreement, the Bank will:

(a) return to BOU the certificates of title for the MIL Properties duly re-transferred into the name of Crane Bank Limited: and

(b) deliver up vacant possession of the MIL Properties (i) Listed in Appendix A, immediately: and (ii) Listed in Appendix B by 24- January 2020.

Upon receipt of vacant possession of the MIL Properties, BOU will pay to the Bank the net book value of the MIL Properties included in Note 2.3.11 of the PwC Assets and Inventory compilation (as at 20’n October 2016. under “Land and Buildings”) subject to: (i) depreciation in relation to the period from 20 October 2016 to the date of delivery of vacant possession as specified herein: and (ii) the ground rent that the Bonk would have paid for the MIL Properties from the Completion Date (25 January 2017) up to the rescission date.

The Bank acknowledges that the rescission process and the payment associated therewith may entail certain other modalities.

We therefore consider a meeting to agree these modalities and the associated timelines important.

The Commander Land Forces (CLF) of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Lt Gen Peter Elwelu has on 5th March 2020 met all Division Commanders of the Force, Chief of Staff Land Forces, Independent Unit Commanders and Directors under Land Forces to evaluate the ongoing construction projects meant to enhance soldiers’ accommodation, recreation and health facilities in the fighting units across the country.

“Last year we set some construction priorities with immediate welfare benefits to the troops at the grassroots. Much has been done and it is time we reviewed and charted new priorities to continue improving on the welfare of our foot soldiers,” said Lt Gen Elwelu.

Gen Elwelu said that the UPDF leadership decentralized smaller construction projects to the end user units applying direct labour while the strategic headquarters undertakes major projects such as the ongoing construction of a UPDF National Referral Hospital in Mbuya. “In this way, we shall be able to achieve more from our budget allocation,” said Lt Gen Elwelu

The Commander Land Forces, under whose command lies the biggest bulk of UPDF troops said the Force has achieved much over the years because its leadership mastered the concept of prioritization within a meagre budget. “Our economy is still growing. We therefore set priorities to adequately realize the benefits of the resources available. A sum up of the small annual input we make is what has changed the face of the UPDF,” said Elwelu.

He noted that since 1986, the UPDF was involved in many military engagements to pacify the country and now that there is calm in the country, the Force has embarked on major projects to ensure the welfare of the soldiers.

“Our budget was heavily affected by our response to immediate security challenges at hand. Since the country is pacified, the welfare of our troops is one of our top priorities,” said Gen Elwelu adding that the UPDF has several welfare measures for both the troops and their families such as education, medical care, the biggest savings and credit organisation in the country and projects for wives of soldiers, among others.

Some of the construction projects undertaken by UPDF Land Forces over the past one year were renovation and addition of amenities in health facilities of Bombo, Kakiri, Hima, Pader and Gulu Barracks. Others were renovation of selected accommodation and recreation facilities in Makindye, Kakiri, Masaka, Moroto, Masindi, Mbarara, Nakasongola, Gulu and Pader Barracks. The meeting set new priorities focused mainly on health care facilities and accommodation of lower rank soldier.

The meeting was attended by Maj Gen Leopold Kyanda who is the Chief of Staff of Land Forces under whose docket lies the administration and welfare of UPDF foot soldiers. The Division Commanders were Maj Gen Sam Okiding, Maj Gen Sam Kawagga, Brig Gen Francis Takirwa, Brig Gen Joseph Balikuddembe, Brig Gen Bonny Bamwesike, Brig Gen Micheal Kabango, and Brig Gen Moses Kwikiriza. The other Commanders present were Brig Gen William Bainomugisha, Brig Gen Joseph Ssemwanga, Brig Gen Charles Byanyima and Brig Gen David Isimbwa.

The Flying Squad Unit has burst a racket of thugs operating at Pine Car Bond that targets people interested in buying vehicles.

The Flying Flying Squad Unit under the Command of Godwin Tugume together with Crime Intelligence under the command of Thomas Kasimo, launched a crackdown on the group after receiving complaints from several people indicating that they were robbed on their way to buy vehicles at Pine Car Bond or while returning after failing to agree on price with the sellers.

A reports by the Flying Squad and Crime Intelligence shows that the first victim of the robbery filed a complaint at Old Kampala Police Division last year under Station Diary –SD Ref: 74/03/12/2019. The second victim filed a case at Kira Division under SD Ref: 66/9/12/2019 while the last case was filed at Jinja Road Police Division vide CRB: 989/2019.

As a result, Tugume and Kasimo deployed informants at Pine Car Bond in December to monitor the activities taking place there. The Informants could eavesdrop on conversations and watch people following buyers leaving the car bond. One of the informant got wind of a plot by thugs to trail a prospective car buyer who had decided to return with his money after failing to strike a deal with the sellers.

The informant immediately passed on information to his superiors, who dispatched a team of police officers backed up by the Police Patrol Unit to wait for the thugs. The group was apprehended and locked up Kampala Central Police Station –CPS. Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga says the suspects would trail their victims from the bank and rob them of their money whenever they would park.

“The suspects were identified to us by an informant who led a team of 999 Patrol Unit and Flying Squad to the location where the suspects were got, arrested and detained at CPS. The suspects were car dealers at Pine Car Bond,” Enanga said.

Some of the cases opened at Old Kampala Police Division involved the robbery of Shillings 17 million, the one at Kira Division involved Shillings 15 million while the one at Jinja Road Division involved Shillings 5 million. Other than deploying informants, Enanga said police teams also relied on Closed Circuit Television –CCTV footage to monitor the movement of the vehicle the suspects were using to trail their victims.

Sources intimated that police are investigating several other car bonds with criminal gangs similar to the one at Pine Car Bond. “These people also follow up the buyers who promise that they are going to withdraw money from banks. They park within the vicinity. They wait for the victim to jump on a Boda-boda and then rob them,” the source said.

According to the source, the thugs trail buyers who decide to return with their money and block them with vehicles or hit them in case they are riding on a motorcycle. This isn’t the first time Pine car bond is in the news for the wrong reasons. Just recently, its proprietor, Muhammad Ssebuwufu was convicted and handed a 40 year jail term for the murder of city businesswoman, Dona Katusabe.

The deceased businesswoman was kidnapped and tortured to death at Pine Car Bond when she had allegedly failed to pay Ssebuwufu a balance of Shillings 9 million for the car she had bought from the bond.

Amidst global scare of Coronavirus (COVID – 19), the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) has directed all broadcasters to give daily updates and prevention messages about the disease.

In a letter to broadcasters on Wednesday, the Commission’s Acting Executive Director Irene Kaggwa Sewankambo said that the announcements should be aired during prime time and should only be halted when the government declares that the virus is no longer a threat to Uganda.

The new directive to air adverts comes with no cost attached as the regulator says stations will air them free of charge.

This comes after government urged people travelling from countries that have registered cases of the acute respiratory illness that started in China in 2019 to stay away from the country.

According to a situational report released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization, eight new countries including Andorra, Jordan, Latvia, Morocco, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, and Tunisia had registered a positive case in just a day.

The President of the Republic of Uganda and the Commander-In-Chief of the UPDF, H.E Gen Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has passed out UPDF commandos after undergoing a 16 months qualification course of Special Forces.

This was the 4th intake of it’s kind and was conducted at Butiaba Marines training School in Buliisa District.

The President expressed satisfaction with the quality of training the special Forces received as portrayed by the multiple demonstrations conducted by the trainees.
“I congratulate these young troops who completed this very tough course. Army is tough but this is tougher. The army has big capacity but special forces creates a special capacity in operating in small units and doing things which cannot be done in a regular way. Special Forces is an important force multiplier,” said the President.

He added that it is because of developing special operations capability in the UPDF that the Al Shabaab were flashed out from their established bases in Mogadishu. “The Special Forces snipers did a great job in Mogadishu that helped the defeat of Al Shabaab from the Somali city,” he said.

The Commander-In Chief pledged his continued support in the professionalization drive of the UPDF.

While speaking at the pass out ceremony, the Minister of State for Defence in Charge of General Duties, Hon Col Rtd Charles Okello Engola commended the newly passed out Commandos and asked them to carry on the mantle of the revolution that was started by their predecessors in the liberation struggle of the country.
“As we celebrate your achievement today, we should be reminded of our military history and those who sacrificed for this country. They represent the past and you now represent the future. Carry on this noble responsibility with pride while conscious of the UPDF requirement of loyalty, patriotism, discipline, team work and pro-people ideology,” said Hon Engola.

The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen David Muhoozi said the demonstrations are a testimony that the trainees have been given a good foundation on which they can build on and such training speaks loudly to the continued professionalization drive in the UPDF. “A lot has gone on in the UPDF in terms of force generation and skills plus proficiencies development,” said Gen Muhoozi.

He cautioned the Officers and Militants to remain healthy so that they are capable of undergoing further training to match technological advancements. “Hardware and software are key in force generation but we also need smart people,” the CDF said.

The Commander Special Forces Command, Maj Gen Birungi said that the UPDF Special Forces Command has steadily improved in its training on all the five training cycle of Special Forces as done in armies world over.
“SFC is steadily growing in quality and quantity by leaps and bounds. We thank the Commander-In-Chief for his strategic guidance, efforts and contribution; firstly, for conceiving the idea of establishing SFC in 2004,” said Maj Gen James Birungi.

The overall best student was Pte Okwi Bonny Alex. The others who excelled are Lt Robert Ssematuwa and Pte Herera Gideon.

Among the dignitaries who attended the function were the Commander Land Forces Lt Gen Peter Elwelu, Commander Air Forces Lt Gen Charles Lutaaya, Chief of Staff Land Forces Maj Gen Leopold Kyanda, Directors and senior officers of the UPDF plus political and religious leaders from Buliisa.