Bank of Uganda has warned supporters of people power pressure group as well as those of President Museveni against defacing currency notes for they will get in trouble.
The warning comes after pictures on social media circulated showing different currency notes bearing names of President Museveni as well as People Power founder Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine.
In both cases, yet to be identified perpetrators had written messages calling for the voting of both candidates in power in their anticipated showdown in 2021.
In the case of Bobi Wine, Shs50,000, Shs20,000, Shs10,000 and other smaller notes had been engraved with “Vote Bobi Wine 2021” while Museveni’s case had also US dollar notes defaced.
The matter was brought to the attention of Bank of Uganda by a one Masha Abrah Abbie who claimed he had given the central bank and the police an ultimatum to issue statements on the same.
“BoU should issue an urgent directive on tampering with legal tender bills with such stupidity, ink prints must be rejected for any form of transaction. I am giving BoU and Police 48 hours to issue a statement,” he tweeted.
In reply Bank of Uganda said defacing currency notes would lead to trouble with the police.
“This is wrong, deliberately writing on Banknotes is a disrespectful way of handling money. Writing on banknotes is called graffiti and it can get you into trouble with the Police.”
According to the Penal Code, defacing a currency note could land one into prison for at least six months.
