Centenary Bank head offices/Courtesy photo
A section of angry Ugandans took to Twitter blasting Centenary Bank for charging Shs600 on customers making inquiry about their balances.
This was sparked off by a tweet by one Twitter user Qwenga, also known as bkyeyune who said he found it weird that banks have sold false narrative that they have gone digital banking, yet demand physical presence of their customers when opening bank accounts.
He wrote: “But banks are weird. You tell me I can open a bank account online. But then you call me and tell me that I need to go to a branch to sign papers to activate that same account. Make up your bloody minds… “
Qwenga was backed by Muramuzi Edwin replying, “Centenary Bank would charge you for opening their mobile app. That’s how I stopped being a rural banker.”
Centenary Bank that had been in bad books with its customers for being unresponsive to their concerns raised on social media, oddly moved swiftly to save face this time around.
The Bank replied, “Kindly be informed that downloading and opening the CenteMobile App is free of charge. You are only charged for transacting. For example, checking account balance is Shs600 and transferring funds to another account in the bank is Shs 1,000. “
However, the response from Centenary Bank attracted more insults from Twitter users, with some applauding Standard Chartered Bank for living the dream of online banking promise and castigated Centenary Bank for operating in stone age era.
Edwin Sabiiti asked, “But let me ask, how is checking my balance a ‘transaction’? What is a transaction/ transferring? How can money not moving anywhere be considered to have been transferred?”
Another Twitter user, Dale Chan weighed in, “Be serious!!! Checking balance isn’t a transaction. Find innovative and sustainable ways to make money not the lazy charge everyone for everything.”
The same sentiments were expressed by another user Khainza Bea, “600/= to check account balance??! Why is checking one’s own account being charged in the first place?”
Buni Christopher was equally angry at Centenary Bank, calling out the Bank for their fraudulent charges writing, “This is fraud. There is no additional financial cost or computing resource allocation for a customer checking their account balance. Levying a charge on a database record query is simply FRAUD.”
Sir Othello alluded to the fact that the people who came up with this charge at Centenary Bank were high after taking some illicit drugs, “Why would you charge people for checking their account balances? Y’all high on something am sure,” said Othello.
Another Twitter user, Chante argued that people fronting Buy Uganda Build Uganda slogan shouldn’t blame Ugandans for shunning local players, “And then someone will ask why Ugandans don’t support Ugandan banks.”
Joshua Kamugabirwe wondered if Centenary Bank is still Bank for the poor people like was the case at time of it’s inception,”But is this a muntu wa wansi bank???”
Ssetumba David said he was willing to die on this hill alone if that’s the case, instead of believing charge on account balance inquiry is a justifiable cost by the bank. “You cannot charge someone for “just ” a database query of a record,” he said
A customer, Justin Boyle, probably familiar with banking in US wrote, “And I thought American banks were bad sheesh.”
Danilla also known as Queen of Kiboha felt helpless by the obscene revelation by Centenary Bank and enlisted help of Pope Francis to save Ugandans from Centenary Bank remarking, “Even y’all Catholics after the way you benefited from colonialism are still exploiting poor Ugandans like this?! Pope Francis talk to your Ugandan flock “
One Ugandan tried to cope using humour asking other Twitter users to hide Centenary Bank reply from Telecom giants MTN Uganda or else they start labelling same charge on their customers too. Humphrey wrote, “Good people of Twitter, don’t let MTN Uganda see this information.”
Coprian Masadde said he was peace after ditching Centenary Bank, “Now I can sleep knowing I made a right decision leaving this shitty bank.”
Bob Baguma also wrote, “Imagine no transaction made but charges arededucted isn’t this stealing of high grade?”
One Twitter user who identifies herself as Daniel Kaluuya’s Wife, Kaluuya is English actor, wondered why Centenary Bank fell for the trap and replied with this information, and comparing the Bank’s exploitation to that of the NRM regime
“You shouldn’t have responded to that tweet kubanga you have worsened the situation. You and this NRM government must be drinking from the same pot of citizen exploitation,” they wrote wrote.
Jafari Sitakange said Bank’s shouldn’t blame anyone but themselves for low penetration of mobile banking because of the exorbitant costs labelled on customer. He also called on Primer Buganda Kingdom to expedite efforts of establishing Bank for Buganda Kingdom.
He noted, “This is one of the reasons why mobile banking has failed to kick off in Uganda. How do you charge a customer for checking their account balance online!! The current Ugandan banks are simply stealing from people. Charles Mayiga, Buganda Development Bank has taken long to be established.”
Bolingooo another Twitter user said the church is robbing the sheep, while Sharon Kinyera wrote, “Are y’all not embarrassed? Anyway, I left Centenary seven years ago and it was really for the best.”
Isabirye is yet to figure out, “How you charge someone for transferring money within the same bank is beyond any banking principles. Even worse if you charge me for using you digital platform to check my balance account, so what if I go to the branch and increase your traffic cost.’
Centenary bank should reform otherwise it’s bound to loose all it’s customers.i submitted my account for receiving my monthly but if u look at deductions u can faint actually I remain with nothing at the end of the month ,infact soon am changing to another bank….Secondly my wife acquired a salary loan of 7m and the repayment period is 5year….but its imaginable that a person gets 7m and pays back to over 14m….Centenary bank stop exploiting Ugandans th I is unacceptable Government should also come to save Ugandans than leaving is in the hands of banks that are just there to steal infact robbing if I may use the right world
I withdraw all my money and I am not banking with Centenary again. These fellas used to deduct over 40,000 from my account every end of month, in addition to other monthly charges. I wrote emails and non was responded to, went to the bank to cancel all deductions only for them.to stop for one month and resume thereafter….babbi bubbi, have very poor customer care and that don’t care about customers’ complaints.
I really wonder y centenary bank over charge people like imagine just checking on yo balance they charge 600 that means tewari arumirirwa there only stealing people. But what I believe in is that centenary bank could have sold it’s shares to heartless people who can charge in a such away
Centenary bank are thieves I spent 1year and 6month when I was jobless coz I registered account as salary account when I was still working with security group africa SGA but when I lost ajob my account was not active,I want to tell you when I got ajob again in security they took all my first salary as charges yet I was not using my account, right now am getting salary of 210,000 but what annoys me I end up getting only 170000 and some times 180,000 , that others are charges am really tired of centenary bank imagine small salary am getting but they are charging me 40000 and some times 30000 why why centenary?and when I leave that small salary on account they keep on deducting it at the end of month you can get only 100000 or 80000 when you leave it on account, my account no is this you can check am not lieing 3201687609
Even if u have borrowed from them and paid back fully on time……..these fellas are really rural exploiters
Every month I lose not less than 30,000ugx mbu charges oba for what.Sometimes they charge four times a day yet I only make withdraw once a month.I regret why I submitted Centenary account for my salary.This z theft.The Catholic church should intervene & save us from this exploitation.Instead of helping us we are helping the bank.No No No No.I stopped saving with you.because it’s like keeping your meat in a kennel
Better you change account to another bank coz yours is worst