Preaching Water, Drinking Wine: Bank of Uganda’s Nearly Interest-Free Long-Term Staff Loans Raise Eyebrows A revealing look at how the central bank’s internal welfare program contrasts with the country’s harsh credit climate.

As the rest of Uganda chokes on expensive credit, with commercial bank lending rates hovering between 18 and 20 percent, staff at the Bank of Uganda (BoU) are enjoying the rare comfort of nearly interest-free, long-term loans stretching up to two decades. Revelations from the central bank’s latest Integrated Annual Report 2024/25 have lifted the lid on a rare privilege: access to nearly interest-free loans for central bank staff and executives, stretching up to 20 years and offered at rates between 0% and 3%. The disclosure has triggered both curiosity and criticism. For some, it’s a thoughtful staff welfare strategy,…