iSPECIAL TREASURES THE PEARL OF AFRICA - UGANDA

iSPECIAL MOBILITY ECOSYSTEM

UGANDA │ TREASURE THE PEARL , RIDE SPECIAL MOBILITY │ "MY AFRICAN JOURNEY" : A LANDMARK TOURIST 'MUST READ' BOOK COLLECTION ITEM ABOUT THE PEARL OF AFRICA  – SIR WINSTON LEONARD SPENCER CHURCHILL, KG, OM, CH, TD, DL, FRS, RA  ( 30 NOVEMBER 1874  – 24 JANUARY 1965).

Uganda – The Pearl of Africa

Country in East Africa

"Uganda is a landlocked country in East Africa whose diverse landscape encompasses the snow-capped Rwenzori Mountains and immense Lake Victoria. Its abundant wildlife includes Chimpanzees as well as rare birds. Remote Bwindi impenetrable National Park is a renowned mountain gorilla sanctuary. Murchison Falls National Park in the north west is known for its 43 m-tall waterfall and wildlife such as hippos." 

"Uganda is bordered to the East by Kenya, to the North by South Sudan, to the West by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the South-West by Rwanda, and to the South by Tanzania. The Southern part of the country includes a substantial portion of Lake Victoria, shared with Kenya and Tanzania. Uganda is in the African Great Lakes region. Uganda also lies within the Nile basin and has a varied but generally a modified equatorial climate. It has a population of over 42 million, of which 8.5 million live in the Capital and the largest city Kampala." – Uganda – Wikipedia

The slogan  – the Pearl of Africa – was made famous by Winston Churchill in his 1908 Book entitled "My African Journey" about his trip to Uganda in 1907.

YouTube Video | Explore Uganda , The Pearl of Africa : Rediscover and fall in love with Uganda|#ExploreUganda #UniquelyOurs  👇🏾

Related Sights and Sounds that the Pearl of Africa Offers:

1.  YouTube Video | Displore : Ten (10) Best Places to Visit in Uganda 👇

Winston Churchill was quite enthused about what he found in Uganda as attested by his remarks: "For magnificence, for variety of form and color, for profusion of brilliant life – bird, insect, reptile, beast – for vast scale – Uganda is truly "the Pearl of Africa."

Why is Uganda called the Pearl of Africa, and who was the first to use the slogan ?

Most in Uganda today attribute the name "Pearl of Africa" to Winston Churchill. However, almost every other Western Explorer and Discoverer that came to Uganda felt similar sentiments about the country. They spoke in glowing terms about the country they found and referred to as the Pearl of Africa.

Yes, Winston Churchill may not have been the one who first called Uganda the Pearl of Africa albeit he is the one who today is given credit. It was Winston Churchill who popularized it through his book, "My African Journey", a Book that one can buy on amazon.com and the same is strongly recommended to read before venturing into a tumultuous tourism sojourn to Uganda.

The Pearl Tourism Ecosystem: The Key Players in the Industry

• Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Antiquities

• Uganda Tourism Board

• Uganda Wildlife Authority

• Uganda Hotel and Tourism Training Institute

• Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

• Giraffe Conservation Foundation

• African Wildlife Foundation

• Uganda Conservation Foundation

• Wildlife Conservation Society

• Association of Uganda Tour Operators

• Uganda Safari Guides Association

• Uganda Hotel Owners' Association

• The Uganda Association of Travel Agents

• Uganda Tourism Association

A shortlist of our Partner Tour Packages

Among our Partner Popular Packages

• 22 Days – The Big Circuit

• 11 Days – Uganda Trail

• 9 Days – Queen Elizabeth & Bwindi

• 8 Days – Rwenzori Mountains

• 7 Days – Round Trip Uganda

• 12 Days – Uganda Birding Safari

• 7 Days – Birding Special

• 5 Days – Mountain Elgon Hiking

• 5 Days – Murchison & Kibale

• 3 Days – Murchison Falls National Park

• 3 Days – Chimpanzee Tracking in Kibale

• 3 Days – Gorilla Trekking at Bwindi

• 3 Days – Queen Elizabeth National Park

• 2 Days – Chimpanzee Trekking in Kibale

• 1 Day Trip – Whitewater Rafting on the Nile

YouTube Video | Sky Travel |Travel Guide || Fifteen (15) Best Places to Visit in Uganda 👇🏾

Other Partner Services

• Gorilla and Chimpanzee Trekking

• Accommodation Reservations

• Ishasha for Tree Climbing Lions

• Student Packages

• Mountaineering in Rwenzori Park

• Bungee Jumping

• Honey Moon Packages

• White Water Rafting and Canoeing

• Primate Safaris

• Birding Safari

A shortlist out of More than 1000 reasons for Visiting and/or Investing in Uganda:

Uganda is indeed the right place, and the time is now!! Visit Uganda , Invest in Uganda now...

Here is why:

• Stable average 5.3% GDP growth in the 5 years to 2019 (pre-COVID) according to The World Bank ;

• Abundant raw materials – minerals, oil and gas, major cash crops creating endless opportunities for value addition;

• Significant business reforms across government spearheaded by Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) and Uganda Investment Authority that make it faster and cheaper to set up business in Uganda;

• Reforms and technology investments by Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) that have hugely reduced the time and cost of compliance as well as time taken to clear goods;

• Enhanced nationwide transport infrastructure coverage by Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) that lowers the time and cost needed to access markets in and around Uganda;

• Border-to-Border Peace and Security;

•A young educated and skilled labour force that is ready to work;

•Central location in Africa coupled with regional integration and trade agreements creates access to a home market of circa 42 million people: East African Community Market of 177 million and over 560 million people under COMESA

• Strategic trade Agreements and Treaties with the US, Europe and China, guarantee access to markets for several goods manufactured in Uganda; 

• Numbers do not lie – we are the most competitive tourism destination in sub-Saharan Africa with the richest and most diverse attractions, moreover, over a smaller geographic area. This guarantees the highest return on investment for tourists and tourism investors alike;

• Abundant electricity with some of the most competitive tariffs for large users in the region.

Courtesy: Muhereza Kyamutetera

Pearl of Africa Snapshot Gallery

■Margherita Peak, Snow capped Mt. Rwenzori

■ New Nile Bridge

■ Entebbe Expressway 

■ Namanve Industrial Park

■ Uganda Parliament

■ Kampala Serena Hotel

iSPECIAL STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP ECOSYSTEM

iSPECIAL MOBILITY ECOSYSTEM

Strategic Partnership and Collaboration Aspirations

FOREWORD│ MAK AND STANBIC DISCUSS PARTNERSHIP BEYOND BANKING

At the beginning of the second quarter instant (Q2:2021), and upon being prompted by the Acting (Ag.) Deputy Vice Chancellor – Finance and Administration (DVCFA), Dr. Josephine Nabukenya's engagement with Ms. Anne Juuko, Chief Executive, Stanbic Bank Uganda (SBU); Makerere University convened a Special Session of the members of the Central Management with a view to partner with SBU in delivering the University ten year Strategic Objectives. The vision for the ten year (2020 -2030) Strategic Plan is : "a thought leader of knowledge generation for societal transformation and development."

"Makerere University's first Strategic goal to translate into a research-led University requires a lot of thinking through on how the different services can be rehabilitated into frameworks that support our vision," remarked Dr. Nabukenya.

The Ag. DVCFA was speaking in reference to the Research and Innovation Ecosystem that needs to be created to ensure that Makerere's research will over the next 10 years have demonstrable economic, environmental, health and social impact.

"The Vice Chancellor appreciated the Ag.DVCFA for initiating the discussion with SBU, noting that this was timely and would help take advantage of the huge potential that the University has to offer; "Thanks to funding from the Government of Uganda through the Makerere Research and Innovation Fund (Mak-RIF) we now have hundreds of Innovations produced by various research teams."

"Our biggest problem at present is the lack of funds to commercialize these innovations. Uganda has no Venture Capitalists but I believe that with the resources that you (SBU) have, we can work together to help support these Innovations," remarked Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe.

Prior to making her presentation, Ms. Anne Juuko thanked Makerere University for supporting SBU's business thus far, as well as ensuring that the two partners enjoy a quality relationship with each others successive Management Teams. "We take extra pride when it comes to working with Makerere University," she added.

Further Ms. Juuko said that the reorganization of SBU in 2018 to include a Holding Company: Stanbic Holdings Uganda Limited (SHUL) had enabled the entity to enhance the value of the products and services offered to its customers. In addition to SBU,other SHUL subsidiaries include: Stanbic Properties Uganda Limited, FlyHub and SBG Securities , these, she noted enabled Stanbic to offer a broader range of services beyond banking."

"Reflecting on the signing of the Host Government Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Uganda and the EACOP Company – a precursor Agreement leading to the Final Investment Decision (FID) which was signed on 11th April 2021, the CE shared that SBU in line with its support for responsible Investment through assessing and managing Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risks would take keen interest in Oil Production. "One of the hottest topics is that Oil mining is going to take place in one of the most ecologically sensitive zones. How can we partner with Makerere to ensure that this is conducted in a sustainable way?" she pondered.

"The CE also brought to the attention of the University Central Management that SBU had in 2020 partnered with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to launch the Youth4Business Innovation and Entrepreneurial Facility as an answer to youth unemployment. As a way forward, she added that Makerere would be brought on board to form a three-way conversation on how best to achieve the facility's Objectives, especially following disruptions to Micro, Small, and Medium (MSME's) operations caused by COVID-19.

Courtesy: news.mak.ac.ug  By: Mark Wamai

Extra of Anne Juuko's Related Nuggets of  Wisdom:

"Success in the Corporate world is delivering Value to a larger Society. For Success, Open yourself to Cooperation and Collaboration. The solution is in partnership." – Anne Juuko, Chief Executive Stanbic Uganda. She was speaking to the need to be agile in a changing world.

Partnership Engagement Mechanics

A. iSpecial/Quartz/MNO/Hertz customers pay using Cash, Debit Card/Credit Cards, and/or Mobile Money/Airtel Money to the Service Centre as they come to buy Partner Retail Chain Goods and Services. The Physical  Cash is later banked In-house within the Service station and/or remitted/deposited to the iSpecial/Quartz/Hertz collection Account;

B. The surplus Physical Cash from the Service Centre is exchanged with the surplus Electronic Money held by the iSpecial/Quartz/Hertz Super Agency terminal domiciled at the Service Centre;

C. The Electronic Money from the Partner Service Centre shall be remitted to the MNO Head Office Treasury Department while, the Physical Cash now held by iSpecial/Quartz/Hertz Super Agency will be distributed to the Aggregated Mobile Money outlets clustered around the participating Partner Service Stations;

D. The MNO Head Office in the capacity of a Trust Party of the Partner Service Centre and iSpecial/Quartz/Hertz/Super Agency will on a quid pro quo basis remit the Electronic Mobile Money Float and realize the Electronic Funds Transfer from the parties respectively using the Third Party platforms at their disposal as shall be mutually agreed by the parties and specifically provided for in  (E) and (F) below.

E. The liquidity portfolio re-balancing between the parties shall be managed via the online banking platform by use of a combination of the Collection Accounts and the Inter-party Settlement Accounts;

F. The parties will then have the responsibility to trigger the Electronic Funds Transfer to the MNO Head Office Treasury Department as per the agreed mandate to operate the Escrow/Inter-Party Settlement Account at the Bank;

G. The Head Office treasury shall then dispose the Aggregated Partner obligations in respect of the Business to Business Supply Chain to enable it access the requisite products;

H. The Business to Business Unit will then supply the Bulk Products to the Service Stations as per their requisite Products. (This applies to a downstream Oil distribution Partner)

Concluding Remark:

The parties shall mutually benefit from the enhanced customer acquisition at the Service Stations that will translate into enhanced performance while eliminating any redundant Physical Cash at the site warranting a Physical movement to the Bank.

Execution Strategy

1. Pylon Signage

This will provide a directional /informative function to both the actual and potential customers.

2. Shop-in-Shop

With this strategy, the outlets shall be fully furnished with teller Counters with sub-divisions for bulk and small transactions.

3. Partner Aggregation

The scheme seeks to canvas the Partnership Retail Network to embrace an additional Revenue stream that arises from leveraging the attendant Economies of scale premised on Strategic Partnerships.

4. Target Setting

Targets for all locations are to be set basing on the area performance and along this basis the outlets will be categorized in terms of:

Platinum │ Diamond │ Gold │Silver │ Bronze

5. In-House Banking

This will help to promote quick and easy transfer of funds through deposits and withdrawals using Bank and Mobile Money Platforms domiciled at the Service Station.

6. iSpecial Mobility Ecosystem

The Top Tier - Down Stream Oil Distribution Retail Network Operators  shall also promote the iSpecial Mobility Ecosystem business Model. Through this Strategy, Ride-hailing , Car Hire/Rental/Lease  bookings shall be made and coordinated within the Service Stations.