Centenary Bank has donated UGX 86 million to Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) in support of the upcoming Kampala City Festival and the Weyonje Campaign, a flagship program addressing the city’s waste management challenges.
The Kampala City Festival, one of Uganda’s biggest cultural showcases, brings together thousands of citizens and international visitors to celebrate Kampala’s diversity through music, art, food, and dance, while boosting opportunities for local businesses.
The bank’s contribution reflects its long-standing commitment to social responsibility and sustainable development in Kampala, where it has operated for more than 40 years.
Announcing the donation, Centenary Bank Executive Director, Joseph Kiwanuka Balikuddembe, said the bank allocates 2% of its annual profits to corporate social investment covering health, education, waste management, and environmental conservation.
“As a Bank, we are proud to celebrate Kampala’s culture, innovation, and sustainability with UGX 86 million—UGX 50 million towards the City Festival and UGX 36 million for the Weyonje campaign. Through this contribution, we hope to support the city’s unity, creative expression, and economic growth,” Balikuddembe noted.
He further highlighted the bank’s excitement at rejoining the Kampala City Festival after eight years, describing Kampala as a vibrant city whose people consistently come together to celebrate achievements and solve challenges collectively.
The need for stronger waste management solutions was underscored by the 2023/24 Auditor General’s report, which revealed that only 37% of Uganda’s 4 million tonnes of solid waste generated annually between 2021 and 2024 was collected and disposed of. Cities collected just 34.4%, while municipalities managed 50%, signaling the need for enhanced collaboration.
Balikuddembe emphasized: “A thriving city is central to economic growth, and tackling challenges like waste management is critical to building an environment where businesses and people can prosper.”
Centenary Bank has already rolled out multiple environmental and social initiatives under its ESG agenda. These include switching 10 branches to solar power, offering water, sanitation, and green loans, donating over 80 waste bins, leading community cleanups, planting more than 100,000 trees in the past two years, and reducing plastics across branches. Socially, the bank has supported medical camps, cancer runs, IT advancement in schools, financial literacy programs, and other community projects.
Welcoming the contribution, KCCA Executive Director, Sharifah Buzeki, praised Centenary Bank’s leadership in corporate social responsibility.
“Kampala belongs to all of us, and keeping it vibrant, clean, and inclusive requires joint effort. We thank Centenary Bank for this generous contribution,” she said.
She added that the Kampala City Festival, slated for 5th October 2025, will celebrate Kampala’s cultural richness and unity, while the Weyonje Campaign will continue shaping citizens’ waste disposal habits for a cleaner, healthier city.
