The Katikkiro of Buganda Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga (center), Executive Director & Chief Operations Officer of I&M Bank Sam Ntulume (left), and other I&M Bank staff pose for a photo during the recent Kabaka Birthday Run
The Buganda Kingdom Premier- Katikkiro Charles Peter Mayiga has recognized and hailed I&M Bank Uganda as one of Buganda Kingdom’s key partners for community welfare and development.
In the official Kingdom congratulatory message to I&M Bank, ahead of its 50-year celebrations, the Katikkiro recognized the bank as one of the Kingdom’s key corporate partners towards social good development.
For the past two years, I&M Bank has partnered with the Kabaka Birthday Run, which also doubles as a campaign to raise funds and awareness for the fight against non-communicable diseases, especially HIV/AIDS. This year, the bank committed Shs200m towards the event that happened in April, and was attended by thousands of participants across the globe.
I&M Bank also reaffirmed its dedication to social impact and social responsibility, by sponsoring the inaugural Queen’s Ball, which was hosted by the Nnabagereka Sylvia Nagginda Luswata, at the Kampala Serena Hotel in May.
The event aimed to fundraise and shine a light on the mental health issues impacting youth, women and children across the country.
The bank committed to support the Nnabagereka Fund with a two-year sponsorship.
In his speech, the Katikkiro shared insights on how the partnership with I&M Bank meaningfully impacted the people of Buganda, and Uganda as a country.
The Katikkiro hailed the partnership for positively influencing community welfare and developmental initiatives in Buganda.
“The Kabaka Birthday Run is one of the most important activities of the Kingdom. This event is always associated with health themes; we started with fistula, then we moved on to sickle cell, and now our focus has been on HIV/AIDS. The special focus came after the appointment of His Majesty Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II as United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) Goodwill Ambassador,” the Katikiro said.
The Katikiro said that the kingdom always looks forward to partnering with entities that appreciate meaningful causes.
“I&M Bank is one of such partners, and we appreciate their partnership very much. In a special way, we also appreciate the bank partnering with the Nnabagereka Fund. The issue of mental health is not much appreciated, because some people think it’s witchcraft or a curse, so we are glad that the Nnabagereka Fund is being deliberate to shine a light on mental health,” Katikkiro Mayiga added.
The Buganda Premier highlighted that the kingdom’s current development priorities include health, education, tourism, and others, all outlined in the kingdom’s five-year strategic plan.
The vision of Buganda, as articulated by the Katikkiro, aims to position the kingdom as a leader in both social and economic development, ensuring that its people enjoy comprehensive freedoms.
According to the Katikkiro, the kingdom’s expansive vision prioritizes the well-being of its citizens, particularly benefiting ordinary individuals striving for improved livelihoods and a higher quality of life.
The Katikkiro emphasized that the vision can only be achieved through partnerships with partners like I&M Bank.
The Katikkiro extended the kingdom’s official congratulations to I&M Bank for achieving a significant milestone of 50 years in business across the region. He expressed optimism that the bank will live to see another successful 50 years, based on its principles and having a heart for the communities they serve.
“I would like to congratulate I&M Bank as a person, and in my capacity as the Katikkiro of Buganda, upon making 50 years in the banking industry across East Africa. The World Bank says that most businesses collapse before they hit the five-year mark, so if I&M has been around for 50 years, it’s a clear indicator that it had a very firm foundation. So, I congratulate the founders, the leadership, and members of staff in Uganda and across the region. I can confidently prophecy that I&M will live to see another 50 years,” the Katikkiro remarked.
