DFCU Bank Attorney’s to Rajiv Ruparelia: “Re: Notice Before Legal Action” (05.10.2018)

Stanbic Bank Uganda – Public Notice: “Corporate Re-Organization of Stanbic Bank Uganda Limited” (19.02.2018)

Opinion: Mzee don’t want to bother foreign investors with taxes, just give him a Presidential Handshakes!

Well, I am biased, as the President are visiting Dubai for 4th Global Business Forum on Africa on the 2^nd November 2017. President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni is trying to cater to foreign investors. People who he usually cater to at the State House, so he can get favors and Presidential Handshakes. That is why he isn’t bothered with taxes, because the tax-holidays and possible offerings will be huge for the investors who comes in. That is what the National Resistance Movement (NRM) are doing, especially if it is for instance a nations offering the state loan, than the same state can come with state-companies to build infrastructure like Chinese companies coming in after offering loans to the same NRM government. Therefore, just look at what he was saying yesterday, which is weird, but fit a pattern.

“Since you are business people, we must be talking about profits. When you talk of Uganda and Africa, you are talking about peace as an enabling environment; which we have. We have raw materials, and have a population of 40 million people that’s’ a market. And if we talk of integration we have a four tear market” (…) “In Africa, the demand is there and growing because we have been under-consuming while the rest of the world the demand is falling because they have been over consuming” (…) “There are plenty of raw materials, minerals, tourism and so on so when you invest there you have access to all these” (…) “I don’t have to bother investors with taxes, what I want is for them to invest, use our raw materials, create jobs, add value and promote exports” (State House Uganda, 2017).

Well, so the President trying to say to foreign investors, you don’t need to pay taxes for your output, just cater to me. The state you don’t have to bother about, just bother about catering to the State House and me. We will add value and promote exports, we will agreements and make sure you get the value on our resources and low-payed workers.

We know who is the biggest taxpayers in the republic, because of Uganda Revenue Authority own statement in the media on the 31^st October 2017, which stated names like Mr. Alnasir Virani Gulam Hussein Habib, Dr. Sudhir Ruparelia, Mohammed Hussain, Nakayima Janat, Karia Minex, Karia Kunnal, Alykhan Hudani and Dayalijil Karan. Who are sounding like foreign investors and they are on the top 25 biggest taxpayers in Uganda. So the state has already connected families from abroad to invest there in various businesses. This shows there are already people who is not worried about taxes, but about the output of their companies.

Some of these investors has made big names, while others have worked more in silence. Still, this shows that the top earners even promoted by URA and Doris Akol. Proves how they are working, as there wasn’t that many own citizens on the list. That shows that the foreign investors must get a special advantage and special agreements at the state house for their dealings. Especially, considering how it has been done, just for tearing down markets in Kampala for own investors and financial agreements. This has been done and arranged from the State House without consultation with locals, neither KCCA or the renters of these markets. That is how the NRM and Museveni do deals in favor of him and if he get ill-gained funds, he will support the “development”. It is in similar fashion he exposes his intent in Dubai.

That the State doesn’t need taxes or need structures to facilitate for foreign investors, they just needs agreements with State House and then it is all fair-game. It is insane, but fits the Modus Operandi of the Musevenism and NRM regime. Give him a Presidential Handshake and you can operate as you want in the Republic. Peace.

Reference:

State House Uganda – ‘President Museveni woos Arab investors to Uganda “We have the raw materials, human resource and market”’ (02.11.2017) link: https://www.africa-newsroom.com/press/president-museveni-woos-arab-investors-to-uganda-we-have-the-raw-materials-human-resource-and-market?lang=en

Opinion: It’s ironic that President Museveni is talking about disciplining the government!

“The three arms of government and their sub-branches must have discipline. For example I have been involved in disciplining the army. We should do the same for other sub-branches of government. If the Judiciary is also disciplined in fighting corruption, citizens will lead a good life.” – Yoweri Kaguta Museveni on the 1^st October 2017, State House Entebbe.

Its just one of these days that hearing the news and seeing the tweets of the President, makes me laugh and wonder if he listen to himself. He knows his system and has made his garden. The way the government steers and govern is because of his policies, his regulations and his support. It is not like there been other ruling for last 30 years in Uganda. The Republic has been under the control of Museveni and his National Resistance Movement (NRM).

The NRM has suffocated all other free-will and control. Therefore, Ministers, Members of Parliament and others seek guidance and funds directly at the State House in Entebbe. Even foreign investors meet there to make agreements. Everything is nearly sanctioned out there. The Discipline now is more on the narrow-minded government that is run from there. The institutions and the procedures are not so important. Since most things happening is with the words from “above”, meaning the President and his close advisers.

It is not rocket science to know where the benefactor or the reason for lacking structures. That is because government waits for their go sign by the State House, they are waiting for funding of the projects and institutions from the State House. The projects and the works of the State House and under the Prime Ministers Offices are the key organizations within this government. They might say all of the massive cabinet has part to play, but that is the facade.

Therefore, it is ironic for a man so controlling and so disorganized that it gives sometimes way to the unthinkable. Just like the Presidential Handshake, that was sanctioned by the State House, but taken form the wrong account. That was the problem for the President, not that the corrupt behavior was occurring on his watch. Its like he talks against himself. Because he has no problem speaking anti-corruption, but if corruption benefit his cronies – its fine and dandy!

I am not surprised by him at this point of time, its fit his narrative. He says what he expects and wants out of others, but the next day he finds a way to benefit or use the loyalty of his cronies. Not like he would have excepted the UCC not to listen and stop the suspended MPs to hit the airways and be broadcast on TV. He rather being himself on radio and in the spotlight, but will accept anyone else sharing the same space.

President Museveni is the proof of someone saying something noble, but doing opposite. He might say something insane, but act rational. Therefore, you never know where you have him. I will never believe him actually disciplining the government, if doing so. It means they are all blindfolded and following his guidelines. It does not mean building proper governance and protocol, neither is institutionalize the departments and ministries, it is all about his will and his stature.

When it comes to Museveni, discipline is about following him. Not building transparent and proper government institutions. Peace.

Bank of Uganda report spells out growing non-performing loans and possible default of 9 banks!

Bank of Uganda’s late Annual Supervision Report of 2016 is finally out. Instead of mid-year, it was released in September. It must be reasons for that, since this is in the year two banks lost their balance and one was traded to another. The Crane Bank sale-off and losses have started most people, as also the expensive pens of the Bank. Therefore, with the procurement of pens must be the reason why the months from July to September to see the Annual report. The 2016 spreadsheet isn’t a fun read, it is dire and says something about the financial institutions, as well as the economy in general.

This report are telling stories of bad performing loans and the quality of them. When looking into that, you know that this is banking practice that supposed to be profitable. To loan money away that people save in the bank and gain interests. So, when the numbers are this crunching. When the state of affairs are so dire. When Government Securities and shortfall is what they are. Then you know there are failing prospects. As this the year after campaigns and elections. It is usually painful after the heavy spending and brown envelopes to anyone who support Mzee. That is why the costs and the non-performing loans are growing. But where that money went, is only known by the elite and the NRM. Take a look!

Non-Performing Loans:

“The analysis of default by the banks’ three largest borrowers and an increase in NPLs by 200 percent revealed large potential losses. It showed that if each bank’s three largest borrowers were to default, with a loan loss of 100 percent, 13 banks would become under-capitalised with an aggregate capital shortfall of USh.513.86 billion. If NPLs were to increase by 200 percent, assuming the increase is in the loss category which requires full provisioning, 9 banks would become under-capitalised with an aggregate capital shortfall of Ush.247.39 billion. A decrease in interest income from government securities would not require any additional capital from the banks” (BoU, P: 4-5, 2017).

Loan Quality:

“The banking sector’s overall asset quality continued to decline in 2016. The ratio of non–performing loans to total gross loans increased from 5.3 percent in December 2015 to 10.5 percent in December 2016. The increase in the NPL ratio was mainly on account of bad loans which more than doubled from USh.573.4 billion in December 2015 to USh.1,203.2 billion in December 2016” (BoU, P: 15, 2017)

Earnings and Profitability:

“There was a drop in profitability of the banking sector in 2016. Annual after tax profits reduced by 44.2 percent or USh.239.1 billion from Ush.541.2 billion in 2015 to USh.302.1 billion in 2016. Average return on total equity (ROE) dropped from 16.0 percent to 8.3 percent while return on assets (ROA) halved to 1.3 percent during that period. Total expenses grew by 9.3 percent, mostly in the form of interest expense on deposits. Increased provisioning for bad debts also reduced the banking sector’s earnings for the year under review. Provisions rose by more than 100 percent, by USh.419.4 billion to reach USh.637.2 billion in 2016” (BoU, P: 16, 2017).

So this growth isn’t making the economy more healthy. It is more bad loans and losses of profits. The bankers are not benefit ting and the costumers will pay for the shortfall in the long run. The assets and the basic needs will not be covered. The dangerous levels of NPL can even kill of more banks. As the reports not spelling out the names, but saying 9 banks could be under-capitalised, that means the government has to come in with security to put the bank on its feet or trade it off. Like it did with the Crane Bank recently.

Therefore, there are warning signs of continuing to borrow without security for repayment on the debt. That gives way for non-performing loans. This is the whole idea and reason for the problems the 9 banks have. As the costumers and corporations borrowing funds, without capacity to repay. That means the planned interest, the planned profits and repaid funds disappear. So, the more borrowed funds to try to catch the losses, is creating a evil spiral of losses. Instead of generating the profits and interests as anticipated.

Clearly, the banking sector needs a revamp and the system needs a push to make sure they are run smooth. As the consequence of continuing like nothing, is that further banks will default and costumers will lose savings and the state has to cough-up funds to save the scraps of a bank. Peace.

Reference:

Bank of Uganda – ‘ANNUAL SUPERVISION REPORT’ (December 2016) Volume 7 (06.09.2017)

Uganda Local Government Workers Union (ULGWU) letter to PM Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda – “Reminder: Remunerations Enhancement for Local Government Workers” (29.08.2017)

#BoUPens: BoU bought cheap Cross Ball-Pens for a fortune!

I hate to say it, but the magical pens from the Bank of Uganda (BoU) wasn’t a fairy-tale as expected. It was a cheap corporate pen, that was bought for astronomical sums. They are not so expensive after all. It is Cross Rolling Ball Pen Nor Onyx AT0155-1, the price of this not as high as the Bank paid for it. Unless, they wanted to pay of their importers major profits, however, the Bank must have connections with the traders who sold it to them. If not, why did they pay so much for Cross Ball Pen in the first place.

First, the social commentary from earlier this month:

“Hey, Bank of Uganda, the glorious BoU, if you ever need any sort office equipment. I can sell it to you and at lesser cost. It will be fraction of the 357,000 Uganda Shillings per Pens or 125m shillings for 350 pens. At the dollar-rate, you paid $105 United States Dollar for each pen, they must be magnificent and the best pens ever made for the mankind” (Minbane – ‘ Opinion: Bank of Uganda must have bought magical pens!’ 16.08.2017 link: https://minbane.wordpress.com/2017/08/16/httpwp-mep1xtjg-5gh/ ).

Than, by the price of $105 USD for every single Cross Ball Pen, which was made in China. These Ball Pens are really overpriced. On the American Amazon.com price are $36.62. The Amazon product explanation: “Onyx black resin finish with polished chrome appointments – Click off cap accented by a wide chrome band and a sophisticated perforated clip design – Includes one black gel ink rollerball refill (#8523) in pen – Cross Rollerball pens can be converted into a ballpoint pen or creamy porous felt-tip pen by changing the refill to desired type of tip (Refills sold separately) – Presented in a gift box” (Amazon – ‘Cross Aventura Onyx Black Rollerball Pen (AT0155-1)’ link: https://www.amazon.com/Cross-Aventura-Black-Rollerball-AT0155-1/dp/B0017UGOZC).

So if the Bank of Uganda are importing the pens, than the price would go up. Both most like not cost more than maybe around $60 USD a pop. Clearly, the BoU are liking the idea of the overpaying the pen. The Bank might have bought it from places like Corporate Gifts Pens, there they would get discounted for amounts of pens they would by. That is like if they buy over 100 pens, around $24,79, so the price of pens would be cheaper. Even engraved pens cost added on that page $5 each, that means the price would be around $29,79.

Still, with that the price difference are $70-75, which has to paid extra to the providers or suppliers. The government and the Bank of Uganda must be really proud of who they bought it from. If not, the Chairman or the leadership of the BoU really know the family or written-off the profits to paid their mortgage.

This here was not about quality or unique pen. Just a very ordinary pen. Not even in the quality of the Parker Pens. The BoU has really scammed the people and the Bank doesn’t care about the misuse of state funds. Peace.

Opinion: Bank of Uganda must have bought magical pens!

Hey, Bank of Uganda, the glorious BoU, if you ever need any sort office equipment. I can sell it to you and at lesser cost. It will be fraction of the 357,000 Uganda Shillings per Pens or 125m shillings for 350 pens. At the dollar-rate, you paid $105 United States Dollar for each pen, they must be magnificent and the best pens ever made for the mankind.

Bank of Uganda, I understand the scrutiny you are under and as people are mocking this transaction, how you suddenly needed these expensive pens. I am sure they write the perfect lines and makes the others look like broke-back understudies without proper ink. The pens you bought must be most genuine Parker Pens, which brings the words so flawlessly on paper. When these pens touch the paper, they make such romance, so the ink flowers the paper and even smells better.

I have a feeling that the providers of these pen engraved them too each of the employees, so they have unique pen with their initials or even their nicknames. Therefore, they are all feeling unique and look well after.

“According to BOU, #BOUPens were “Cross” branded and meant to be sold as was the case with commemorative coins and notes in previous years” (NTV Uganda, 15.08.2017). So they were special and unique, they were designed in a way to make them feel special. Still someone who procured them really made a decent profit of the trade. Since pens usually doesn’t cost that much, even when your initially making them special too.

I am sure they bring back the good old times, sprint the words of Milton Obote and Idi Amin, even bring back Yusuf Lule, if lucky the grandest project of the all, the marvelous escape of the NRA. Certainly, the pens of the BoU must possess some sort of special powers. Since, they cost so much. All the things the pens has of value, so they can be used as collateral and even be pawned like jewels. Since they have such value and estimated cost.

So please Bank of Uganda, I got pens that can write in thin-air, spill the ink on the paper and give you the smell of roses. They will cost half of what you used to buy the Cross Pens, and they will look amazing. They will bring joy and happiness, maybe even be more within reason of cost. Since all paperwork and paper-trial of your clients, will smell like a bed of roses? It must be a dream and a dream worth living for, that you want to achieve in your lifetime.

Certainly, Bank of Uganda should consider some reasonable pens for their enterprise, as a state institution, but they are the ones keeping the inflation and the monetary policies at bay. Therefore, they need to be rewarded, not all can get Presidential Handshakes. Some just have to get pens, which are more valued than other people’s rents. That is their dumb luck, not the cashier at BoU. Peace.

A look into ‘Project Nyonyi’ the PwC Forensic Review of the Crane Bank!

This are just one of them days, when the glaciers really get to much heat and becomes water. Than underneath all those years of ice and snow, you will find some relics of the past, which was hidden by the massive amounts of snow. That nothing these things hidden inside the glacier, that had the need to resurface, because no one would have the capacity to dig that deep. In the same sense, the PriceWaterhouseCoopers report of the Crane Bank reveal damaging reports on the state of the Bank. The Bank that Bank of Uganda took into receivership before trading to another third party. The bank that were praised and suddenly disgraced itself. Therefore, lets look at the important quotes from the report!

“This report has been prepared solely for BoU for use in considering immediate steps to safeguard Crane Bank’s interests and the additional investigative and evidence collation work that is required on key areas of concern to enable the preparation of a report that can be adduced as evidence in a court of law” (PwC, P:3, 2016).

“The above direct and circumstantial evidence suggests that Dr Ruparelia and persons associated with him, effectively owned and controlled 96% of CBL (With control of White Sapphire, the only shareholding not held by Dr Ruparelia and his immediate family, is the 4% shareholding held by Mr Jitendra Sanghani, (“Mr Sanghani”)). This contravenes the prohibition on an individual or body corporate controlled by one individual owning more than forty nine per cent of the Bank’s shares, and the restriction on the right to control financial institutions by those who are not reputable financial institutions or public companies as set out in S.18, and 24 of the Financial Institutions Act 2004 as amended (“FIA”)” (PwC, P: 14, 2016).

“The false accounting was partly achieved by crediting income with entries from off-book accrued interest receivables accounts and by keeping some liabilities (fixed deposits and borrowings from other financial institutions) off the books” (PwC, P: 15, 2016).

“The off book liabilities were brought back into the books in 2013 and a fictitious asset recognised by overstating the balances in the Nostro Account. It is not clear why CBL brought back this liability at this point. Due to this entry in the Nostro Account, as at 31 December 2013, there was a difference of USD 80m or UGX 200B between the system and actual balance in one of the Nostro Accounts; the Deutsche Bank USD account” (PwC, P: 15, 2016).

“As at 20 October 2016, loans amounting to UGX 63.6B had been advanced to related companies out of which lending totalling to UGX 63.1B (99%) had not been disclosed as insider lending. In addition to the companies considered as insiders in deriving the amount above, there are allegations that Logic Real Estates and Developers Limited (“Logic”) which had an outstanding balance of UGX 26.9 B as at 20 October 2016, is also related to Dr Ruparelia. Logic obtained this loan on 23 December 2014 and the amount appears to have been deposited back into a CBL “interest receivable” account labelled “Personal FD”” (PwC, P: 18, 2016).

It is not strange that a Crane Bank fell, when all the irregularities and mismanagement in their practices comes to the forefront. The Bank of Uganda could have seen this, but did not act upon it. They just let it be and let it go. That must have been because of the ties between Dr. Ruparelia and President Museveni. Certainly, the political affiliation has helped the financer and foreign investor in his prospects in Uganda. Since the off-books practices plus over-extended ownership did not apply to current legislation concerning healthy bank practices. Still, they let it all happen. This secret PwC report even entails provisions and statutes the owner of the bank has breached in his practices.

“Dr Sudhir Ruparelia: As a Director, major shareholder, vice chairman and generally as a person that exerted the greatest control over the Bank, Dr Ruparelia, concealed his true shareholding in the Bank; he oversaw the irregular transfer of the Bank’s branches to MIL, he benefitted from irregularly declared dividends, ‘due’ to White Sapphire; he conspired with others to embezzle/cause financial loss to CBL by use of cash extractions from Interdico, AI and TA; he was instrumental in the approval of credit facilities for related companies and associates, when there was no intention the loans would be repaid; and he failed to disclose his interests.

In addition to the above charges:

 Receiving stolen property in respect of bank branch transfers, and White Sapphire dividends.

 Embezzlement.

 Influence peddling.

 Nepotism.

 Receiving and possessing property for himself or related parties, otherwise than in payment for the full value, in respect of the branch transfers, (FIA S126 (6).

 Breach of the Prohibition on insider transactions” (PwC, P: 23, 2016).

When you read that a review and outsider opinion sees this and that the Bank of Uganda are just taken the bank into custody before trading it off to DFCU. Proves that they knew of the liabilities and the off-books practices, but put a blind an eye to the matter. Don’t see and don’t tell policy are clearly the BoU acts of the day, no matter what principle or legislation that has been breached by the former foreign investor in the good graces of the President.

Certainly, this is again, with all the other reports of the sudden fall of grace for the ones astonishing bank, the Crane Bank are now history and eaten by DFCU. While the subjects running this one to the ground are walking around like free men. The ownership and board are left off the hook, even as this secret report entail embezzlement and fraud of the bank. This is accepted and repeated without any consideration of all the clients and customers  who at one point trusted the Crane Bank. They we’re used as pawns, to secure wealth for Dr. Ruparelia and his comrades. Peace.

Reference:

PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC) – ‘Project Nyonyi – Report on the Preliminary Forensic Review at Crane Bank’ (21.12.2016)

Motion for a Resolution of Parliament to Investigate Bank of Uganda (BoU) Over its role in the Supervision of Financial Institution (27.07.2017)