A growing public outcry has emerged after activist Agather Atuhaire revealed that her personal bank account at Centenary Bank was frozen under unclear circumstances, leaving her unable to access funds for basic needs.
Atuhaire said the bank contacted her to address the issue but later directed her to the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) for clarification on the account restriction.
She questioned the lack of transparency, noting that even the bank appeared unaware of the reasons behind the directive that led to the freeze.
“It seems even the bank wasn’t given the reason for that account restriction they were hustling ordered to freeze,” Atuhaire stated, adding that the issue of who was responsible for informing her remained unresolved.
“They owe no duty whatsoever to the customer,” she added in frustration.
Her remarks have triggered concern over customer protection and regulatory accountability in Uganda’s financial system, with questions being raised about the safeguards surrounding account restrictions.
Prominent voices have since weighed in on the matter, including Winnie Byanyima, who expressed concern over the implications of the incident on financial security and human welfare.
She acknowledged Centenary Bank’s engagement with Atuhaire but said the response was insufficient given the impact on her livelihood.
“I appreciate that Centenary Bank has reached out to their client Agather to address the distressing situation she faces, being denied access to her own funds to feed her children and meet basic family needs,” Byanyima said.
However, she cautioned that compliance with unclear directives raised serious legal and ethical concerns.
“The bank has a duty to protect clients’ money and must not comply with unlawful regulatory directives,” she said, warning that such actions could undermine public confidence in the banking system.
Byanyima further questioned the human cost of the restriction, asking how long Atuhaire’s children were expected to go without basic necessities.
She also raised broader concerns about the security of customer funds if banks could be compelled to act without clear justification.