On their website, ABSA bank describes their catchy slogan Africanacity as a new word for ‘our new purpose.’
And that purpose is a way of doing things that’s unique to the African continent. The purpose of meeting every challenge with tenacity, ingenuity, positivity and creativity.
“At Absa, we call this Africanacity: the distinctly African ability to always find ways to get things done. It’s the driving force behind everything we do. That’s Africanacity. That’s Absa,” the bank states on it’s website.
That said, the people of Busoga Kingdom are up in arms and are extremely furious after one of the biggest banks in Uganda and Africa, ABSA Bank, turned down a chance to support, attend and contribute to the much anticipated royal wedding set for next month.
- Advertisement -
Africanacity, huh?
The King (Kyabazinga) of Busoga will wed his fiance also known as Inebantu next month, November.
The kingdom has approached various corporate companies and individuals for support.
Some major companies such as telecom giants, MTN have joined in, even launching a campaign to fundraise for money among it’s customers.
However, ABSA bank has refused.
A controversial public notice by the Absa Bank turning down an invitation to the Kyabazinga royal wedding scheduled for next month has stirred public anger against the bank all over Busoga.
The royal wedding organizing committee had earlier extended the invitation along with a polite request for financial support to which the bank responded by rejecting to extend the help while also turning down the request to attend.
In the October 13 dated letter signed by Ms Helen Basuuta Nangonzi, the Marketing and Customer Experience Director at the plot 2 Hannington Rd based bank, the Kingdom is notified of the administrative decision to turn down the invite on grounds that they will be engaged on the scheduled date.
The notice has attracted widespread protests from the King’s subjects who have variously interpreted it as a conspiracy to humiliate not only the King, but also the entire Kingdom.
Whereas the Bank has a right to choose whether to or not to attend the royal wedding and extend financial help or not, the public feels that publicising the decision was not done in good faith.
Waiswa Nasur, a bank subscriber from Iganga says the action of the Bank is regrettable and he feels overly offended and regrets his affiliation to the institution.
” I am overly disappointed because there is no reason whatsoever, for the Bank to publicly humiliate my king. I regret that I am a subscriber there,” he says.
Just like Waiswa, Ms Mutesi Mirabu from Bugiri has rallied all the Basoga to come together in solidarity to demand an explanation from the Bank or else unsubscribe their memberships,”
“Never have I seen this type of humiliation to the Kingdom before. Who is behind this bank? It’s time for us all to unite with one voice and demand an explanation from the bank or isolate it to pa for their arrogance,” Mutesi demanded.
Official statements from the bank and the kingdom following the backlash are yet to be issued.
But individuals from the kingdom have vowed to deactivate their accounts.
Watch this space!
