Amuru elderly couple loses Shs 1.6m savings to termites
- Written by URN
75-year-old Bicentina Alal shows off the bitten money notes
An elderly couple in Amuru district is stuck with more than Shs 1.6 million in notes damaged by termites. 75-year-old Bicentina Alal and her 80-year-old husband Tito Okema, have been saving money in a metallic case for over three years.
The couple who live with their six grandchildren in Kali-Kali village in Layima sub-county opened their savings box in June only to discover that the paper notes had been destroyed by termites.
The damaged notes are in the denominations of Shs 20,000 (35), Shs 50,000 (10), Shs 10,000 (36) and Shs 5,000. Some of the notes are damaged beyond recognition. Alal said that they have been saving their proceeds from the sale of papyrus mats, dried cassava chips, crops, mingling sticks, poultry and domestic animals. He said that they would pick a part of the money once in a while for their medication or supporting their children.
She explained that the money was in good shape until last month when they saw the metallic case covered with mud. According to Alal, they were astonished when they opened the metallic box that was hidden under their wooden bed only to discover that the money had been eaten by termites.
Her husband, Okema, says that left without any other option, they gathered the damaged notes and are now keeping them in another metallic bowl with the hope that someone may come to their rescue.
Okema explained that they neither have bank accounts, sim cards nor even subscribe to the village Saccos where they can safely keep their savings. Asked why they don't own any savings account or subscribe to any group, the couple said that they do not trust anyone with their money.
"It was about one million shillings plus, the money was to help me with sickness and for the children. I cannot now do anything because the money is already spoiled. If it can be changed, I want to be assisted if it can be. Me, I don't have any other work, I am a farmer ever since childhood.’’ Okema said.
Cosmas Apuke, a son of the couple was equally astonished when his parents disclosed and showed URN the damaged notes. He noted that he is yet to find out from the Bank of Uganda whether they can replace the damaged notes, whose serial numbers can be retrieved from their archives.
Comments
I just hope the Bank/Central Bank will have mercy and save our old folks saving and replace the damaged Banknotes.
Acholi tribal leader should beg his chief Museveni to give you the money, develop your land & be prepared to go on when catastrophe like this happens!
Amuru is rich agricultural land & all Acholi need is LEADERSHIP & FREEDOM to administer their land & live as real humans!
What will Acholi do when Museveni dies of old age? Will they worship the demon's son on the wait to take the dad's post & continue to live like beggers, migrants, unwanted dogs on land that should belong to Acholi?
When will Acholi prove Dr Obote was wrong insulting & laughing at them saying they have no leadership & won't know what to do without him?
Acholi tribal leader, mps, elites...GO TO HELL!
Bank of Uganda is actually under obligation to take the damaged notes and replace them with new ones
No, Museveni is not God Almighty and cannot help everyone. The same is in any other country But these snakes are spitting poison like cobra at our good man
What Bank of Uganda and any other Uganda bank should do is to swap damaged money and exchange it for good bank notes.
This is what any bank in the world would do but in case of these notorious losers and haters it is chance to launch attacks on out only and loving president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni
Forward Museveni!! Museveni oyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Oyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
He should help out so that a brand new paper currency is exchanged for this elderly couple.
That is why we have been advising the international financial authority to start printing out plastic currency and throw away that dodgy habit of the USA of printing out paper currency of the dollars for trade all over the world!
In other words termites calling themselves bank staff are the very objects eating th eir meagre savings they are supposed to look after.
Poor Ugandans whose majority are slave wage earners are in serious dilemma with no where to keep their money but in tins.
These termites with plump bellies are eating anything imaginable, edible. The situa tion is exacerbated by over promoted and substandard ministers with no intellectual acumen to run anything or destroy these termites.
Journalism is criminalized for accurately pointing out all these evils of nepotism and tribalism resulting in such hand pickings including acolytes whose qualifications were to kneel for Musevenis extension.
Critics are blackmailed with being enemies of govt when they are only enemies of termites corruption nepotism and corruption. Okema put your money under the pillow and sleep
Hi Wainainchi, You thought Covid-19 has taken
Lakwena. Nop!
In other words, Lakwena never lies and dies.
Lakwena never dies.