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Soccer Fanatics Reap Big From the Guinness Football Manager Of The Month awards

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Perez Kasoro and Dean Ocama were overjoyed last Friday as they each received Ush1.5m as well as a DSTV Walka 7 courtesy of Guinness for taking part in the Guinness Fantasy Manager game.Kasoro and Ocama topped the monthly leaderboards for the month of December 2013 and January 2014.

My game plan involved selecting Star players like Liverpool’s Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez as well as Manchester City’s Argentine wizard Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero, said Kasoro.

Having amassed over 750 points, Kasoro has now vowed to up his ante and win the Manager of the season award that comes with a cash prize of Ugx 5m.

Ocama on the other hand kept it simple during the month of January 2014 looking out for consistent performers like Southampton’s Adam Lalana, Manchester City’s Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure as well other goal scoring midfielders. The Capacity Building Officer at the World Wide Fund for Nature currently has 854 points and has his eyes set on the Manager of the season award too.

He added, “This money will help me save up on my salary as well as help me pay rent upfront for months ahead.”

Phoebe Nakabazzi, the Guinness Brand Manager says that the brand plans to make the game show more exciting in the coming seasons with bigger offers.

“We want to create more hype around this game and we hope to make it bigger in the coming years to the extent that we want some of the winners to be flown out to watch some English Premier League Matches.”

Managers of the week for the months of December 2013 and January 2014 were awarded with the DSTV walka 3.5 each.

GUINNESS FOOTBALL MANAGER was launched in August by Italian footballer and Champion League winning manager, Roberto Di Matteo, when he visited Uganda.  Each week, Di Matteo selects his very own ‘Player Made of More’ – the player he believes has made the most significant contribution in that week’s matches and any managers with that player in their fantasy team, will be awarded extra points.

Choose your team and get involved!  All you need to do to play GUINNESS FOOTBALL MANAGER is sign up to GUINNESS VIP at m.guinnessvip.com, follow the instructions to select your team and show Uganda what you are made of!  It is free to get involved.

Please drink responsibly, strictly18/21+.

Winners of the Omo “Wash and Fly To Dubai” Promotion Fly-Out

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…13 lucky participants are off to Dubai courtesy of Omo…

Unilever last year launched yet another exciting and rewarding promotion for customers who buy new improved OMO washing powder on the 12th December 2013. The promotion called Wash and Fly to Dubai was announced at an event held at Unilever Head Offices where Judith Babirye was formally introduced to the public as OMO’s Brand Ambassador.

Since its launch we have seen 13 lucky individuals win themselves an all-expenses paid trip to Dubai plus US$500 spending money. The first group of winners who shall be travelling to Dubaion Thursday 20th February, 2014 are:

  • Peter Agaba
  • Natukunda Rachael
  • Aceng Jackline
  • Nuwasiima Adrine
  • Akullo Jane
  • Byakatonda Jackson
  • Bakulimya Dorcus
  • Kamusiime Abel
  • Atim Moses
  • Namakula Jane
  • Kiconco Monica Asiimwe
  • Patel Bhaveshbhai Babubhai
  • Waiswa Paul Luzige

Speaking at the send-off Unilever Marketing Manger Diana Nabukenya said: “This has been one of the biggest OMO promotions that we have had so far and today is a true testament to our promise to ensure that our loyal customers are awarded of prizes such as school fees and have been given the opportunity to fly to Dubai and experience the Arab Emirates”

OMO washing powder is a superior and quality soap powder that gives you value for your money. New OMO delivers maximum consumer satisfaction by delivering high performance stain-removal and cleaning abilities and a long lasting fragrance. The new OMO is developed from breakthrough technologies and creates a product that gives consumers an unbeatable experience.

Huawei Consumer Business Group Ranked Third in Global Smartphone Shipments

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Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider,was ranked third in global smartphone shipments in 2013, according to the leading market research and analysts firms International Data Corporation (IDC), Strategy Analyticsand Canalys. According to IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, Huawei retained its number three position worldwide in 2013, with the highest year-on-year increase among the leading vendors at 67.5 percent.Huawei captured 4.9 percent market share in 2013with smartphone shipments of 48.8 million units, up from 4 percent in 2012.
 
In the report, global smartphone shipments increasedby 38 percent in 2013, with over one billion smartphones sold in 2013. Huawei attained a year-on-year increase of 56.5 percent in Q4 2013 with smartphone shipments of 16.4 million units, up from 10.5 million units in Q4 2012. Huawei shipped 55.5 million mobile phone units in 2013, ranking number five with 3.0 percent global market share. 
 
IDC commented, “Huawei maintained its number three position worldwide, attained the highest year-on-year increase among the leading vendors, and raised its brand profile with a higher proportion of self-branded units compared to the ODM work it had done for other companies.”
 
The ranking demonstrates the success of Huawei’s strategy to focus on flagship products to build its brand globally. According to Huawei, 52 million smartphone units were shipped in 2013, more than a 60 percent year-on-year increase from 2012 witha total sales revenue increase of 18 percent to US$9 billion for the year. To date, it has launched its products in over 140 markets via more than 600 channel vendors globally, resulting in its smartphone business reaching more than 80 percent of retail markets in China, Russia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, the Philippines and South Africa. 
 
In 2013, Huawei’s smartphones accounted for 87 percent of its phone product line in 2013, of which 12 percentwere mid-to-high class phones priced over US$250, such as the flagshiphigh-end smartphone HUAWEI Ascend P6, which is now on sale in over 100 countries and has surpassed three million unit shipments since it was launched on June 18, 2013.
 
In addition, Huawei launched a series of promotional campaigns worldwide to build its ‘Make it Possible’ brand which included sponsorship activities with leading football organizations, such as Liga de Fútbol Professional (LFP) in Spain, AC Milan in Italy andBorussia Dortmund in Germany. 
 
The third place global ranking reinforces Huawei’scommitment to become one of the leading mobile phone brands within the next five years by bringing quality, innovative and fashionable products within reach for more people.At the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Huawei launchedHUAWEI Ascend Mate2 4G and showcased its full range of 4G LTE devices. With a 6.1-inch IPS screen, 4050 mAh battery and 5-megapixel front-facing camera, HUAWEI Ascend Mate2 4G will ‘Make it Possible’ for more people to live a faster, more connected life.
 
About Huawei Consumer Business Group
As at the end of 2013, Huawei’s products and services are deployed in over 140 countries, serving more than one third of the world’s population. Huawei ranked third in global smartphone shipments in 2013, according to International Data Corporation (IDC). Huawei has also established more than 16 R&D centers around the world in countries such as the United States, Germany, Sweden, Russia, India, and China. One of Huawei’s three business groups, Huawei Consumer Business Group (BG) provides a range of products including mobile phones, mobile broadband (MBB) devices, home devices and cloud services. With more than 20 years of rich business expertise in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, an extensive global network, vast global business operations and partners, experience in the telecommunications, Huawei has established a globalized network, operation ability and working partners, Huawei Consumer BG is dedicated to bringing the latest technology to consumers, offering a world of possibilities and creating extraordinary experiences for people everywhere. 
 
 

Emirates Named Most Valuable Airline Brand Worldwide

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Retains #1 ranking in the Middle East, brand value up 34 per cent

Dubai, UAE: 20 February, 2014: Emirates, a global connector of people and places, is the most valuable airline brand worldwide for the third consecutive year, according to The Brand Finance Global 500 report for 2014 that was released this week.

The airline, now at the 234th position in the list, is also the most valuable brand in the Middle East for the fourth consecutive year, and is currently valued at US $5.48 billion, an increase of 34 per cent over its 2013 value.

“A strong brand is an important business differentiator, and that is why Emirates has continually invested in our brand over the years. We are delighted that our brand valuation has increased and that Emirates has retained its top position, because this reflects our success in engaging our customers, and remaining relevant to them in a fast changing and highly competitive global environment,” said Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand.

“Emirates flies more passengers over longer distances than any of its rivals and has become the standard by which other airline brands are judged. As employees of the Middle East’s most valuable brand, Emirates’ staff are ambassadors for the whole region, building bridges and good relationships across cultures with their impeccable service,” said David Haigh, Chief Executive, Brand Finance.

Emirates’ brand platform ‘Hello Tomorrow’ connects people and cultures by creating relevant and meaningful experiences that are shaping our world. It is an intrinsic part of airline’s aspirations to evolve into a global lifestyle brand – not just offer a way to connect people from one point to another, but work as a catalyst to connect people’s hopes, dreams and aspirations. A global audience now has diverse ways of engaging with Emirates through iconic sponsorships such as the FIFA World Cup™ and Formula One, to its many social media platforms.  Emirates is now one of the most engaged brands on Facebook not only in the airline category but amongst other lifestyle brands, with posts about its fleet, products, sponsorships and crew. Emirates is also the world’s largest airline on LinkedIn, and has an active presence on YouTube, Instagram and Google Plus.

With a fleet of 212 aircraft, Emirates operates services to 141 destinations in 80 countries from Dubai. With a multi-cultural work force which is made up of more than 48,000 people from over 160 different nations, Emirates embodies the spirit of the brand and its evolution is embedded internally with an outlook that celebrates the new, the pioneering and innovative in the world – empowering people to explore, engage and live.

Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy, releases its annual Brand Finance Global 500 report which assesses the dollar value of the reputation, image and intellectual property of the world’s foremost brands across diverse categories. The ranking also considers in its valuation, a number of relevant attributes such as emotional connection, financial performance and sustainability, economic growth rates, revenue forecasts and analysts’ insights, amongst others.

Capital Increase on Track as Citadel Capital Completes Investment Purchases of USD 0.53 bn

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Resultant liabilities to be capitalized in second phase of ongoing capital increase, to achieve 100% subscription, expected to be completed in March 2014
 
Citadel Capital (CCAP.CA on the Egyptian Exchange) disclosed today that it has now completed its planned purchases of additional stakes in its platform companies totaling USD 0.53 billion as part of its ongoing transformation into an investment company that will hold majority stakes in its subsidiaries in five core industries: energy, transportation, agrifoods, mining and cement.
 
The asset purchases disclosed today cover the platform companies and subsidiaries outlined in Citadel Capital’s Form 16 submission on use of proceeds from the capital increase, as approved by the EFSA.
 
At a meeting held on 13 February 2014, Citadel Capital’s Board of Directors accepted a report by its independent auditor (KPMG) certifying the USD 0.53 billion in liabilities to co-investors and shareholders arising from these securities purchases. These liabilities will be capitalized during the second subscription round for the capital increase, thereby resulting in full subscription to the share issuance.
 
In December 2013, Citadel Capital invited shareholders to subscribe to a USD 523,160,720.0 capital increase at par (USD 0.72 per share). The capital increase would see Citadel Capital’s total issued capital rise to USD 1,149,211,809.9  from USD 626,051,089.9  through the issuance of 728,375,000 new shares.
 
This invitation was approved by the Egyptian Financial Supervisory Authority (EFSA) on 1 December 2013 and made public on 4 December 2013. The closing date for the first round of subscriptions took place on 13 February 2014, and the second round is expected to be completed in March 2014.

Airtel’s Kyakala Promotion ends

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Airtel Uganda concluded its Kyakala promotion in a big bang style. Gracing the students of Makerere University, Airtel gave away two Toyota Harrier cars and a cash amount of Shs 10 million to 10 different lucky customers. Kyakala has been an ongoing promotion since December, 2013 and has seen various Airtel customers win 10 Cars and money totaling up to Shs350 million.
 
At the event, Airtel’s outgoing Managing Director, Mr. V G Somasekhar said; “We at Airtel love to give back and it is through promotions like Kyakala and many others that we get to show our appreciation for our customers. Airtel will continue unveiling new services and rolling out more promotions so as we can serve the customers at our best. We promise there is more to come.”
 
The two lucky winners of the cars were Luganda Sunday a security officer at New Nana Hostels in Makerere. Driving away with a brand new Toyota Harrier number UAU 249H, Sunday couldn’t hide the surprise and excitement. The second winner was Judith Bikeyo a student at YMCA Kampala, with car number UAU 250H. 
The Kyakala finale give away was also graced by Uganda’s own BET Awards nominees; Radio and Weasel of the GoodLyfe Crew and the ever so talented lady; Sheeba. With electrifying performances from many other entertainers, the final give away surely left the students of Makerere University screaming for more. 
 

MTN Uganda launches New Business Position campaign

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Moving along its new preposition of leading the delivery of a bold new digital world, MTN Uganda through its MTN Business platform has launched a new business positioning which advocates for fresh and new methods of doing business with the sole aim of helping business owners achieve progress and growth.

The MTN new business campaign comes against the backdrop of a series of SMS Business trainings that saw over 1,000 SMEs in Gulu and Mbarara benefit from MTN Business trainings in the last quarter of 2013.

Talking about the New Business Campaign, MTN Chief Marketing Officer Ernst Fonternel said in the new world, there is need for new thinking adding that MTN is leading the way in handing down to its customers in the business world, the New World thinking using the analogy of the coffee brewing process which requires the right steps for a good product.

He said: “This is the real deal. It is a world where people in business will always be connected to their businesses and their key account manager is just a phone call away. It is a world of solutions that meets and grows your needs. We are employing the latest technologies in addition to provision of next level support which we are optimistic will make small businesses bigger and big businesses better”

“You will agree with me that old ways of doing business can hold people back, while new ways have the potential to drive people forward and that’s exactly what the solutions offered by MTN business is all about. In the new campaign we demonstrate the “new ways” across various different business sectors in the value chain using the analogy of the journey of coffee along the value chain from bean to cup, as we tell the success story”. Fonternel added

To supplement the New Business Campaign, MTN has also launched a promotion where 4 lucky winners will win a fully connected office. The following “Fully connected Office” prizes are available

1st Prize: 1 Desk Computer, 1 Laptop, 2 Tabs, 2 Fixed Lines, 2 LTE Routers and a 2Mbps MTN Broadband connection for 12 months.

2nd Prize: 1 Laptop, 2 Tabs and 2 LTE Routers

3rd Prize: 2 Tabs and 2 LTE Routers

4th Prize: 2 Tabs and 2 LTE Routers

Fonternel said the launch will be characterised with customer engagement tents in the 6 popular malls in Kampala where a cup of fresh coffee will be served to all customers who visit the tent.

Fonternel said the campaign which is premised on the journey of coffee with a theme “meet over coffee”is MTN’s ways of reaching out to its diverse base of customers with innovative solutions to help them better their lives.

MTN has also continued to provide products and services aimed at making the lives of the business community as well as SMEs a whole lot more efficient like MTN Cloud services that is a one-stop shop for all business related data/software solutions.

Over the years the SME market has experienced exponential growth and has become an important element of Uganda’s economic growth. This background has led MTN to consistently support this vital and delicate sector of the economy.

About MTN Uganda

Launched in 1998, MTN Uganda is the leading communications operator in Uganda, offering Mobile and Fixed telecommunications, Mobile Money Services and Internet Service Provisioning. As of 30 September 2013, MTN Uganda recorded 8.4 million subscribers across Uganda. Visit us at www.mtn.co.ug and for our football fans www.mtnfootball.com. Customers can also follow us on www.youtube.com/mtnug and www.twitter.com/mtnugandacare for assistance.

About the MTN Group

Launched in 1994, the MTN Group is a leading emerging market operator, connecting subscribers in 22 countries in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The MTN Group is listed on the JSE Securities Exchange in South Africa under the share code: “MTN.” As of 30 September 2013, MTN recorded 203.8 million subscribers across its operations in Afghanistan, Benin, Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Cyprus, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Republic, Iran, Liberia, Nigeria, Republic of Congo (Congo Brazzaville), Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan,South Sudan, Swaziland, Syria, Uganda, Yemen and Zambia. More info on www.mtn.com

British Airways Partners With Corporate League in Charity Fundraiser ‘Flying Start’

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  • BA to host charity Mini soccer tournament to raise funds for needy children in Uganda and other parts of the world
  • Tournament to become an annual event on the Corporate league calendar
  • BA to donate a revolving trophy which will be played for as a season opener for by Corporate League teams

British Airways and the Corporate League have entered a partnership to raise funds for disadvantaged youngsters in Uganda, through ‘Flying Start’ a BA and Comic Relief charity partnership initiative that raises fundsforunderprivilegedchildren all over the world.

Fundraising for the charity will be done through charity mini soccer tournament to be held at the Kyadondo Rugby Club on Sunday 23rd February, 2014 featuring top Ugandan corporate teams with each team donating one million shillings to participate.

Making the announcement during a press conference at the British Airways offices, Faith Chaitezvi,British Airways Country Commercial Manager, Uganda said “we have entered this partnership with the corporate league because our goals, objectives and values are aligned. The corporate league is a solid organisation with a long and proud record of supporting charitable causes by bringing corporate companies together; BA has always believed that the best way of achieving tangible results in the field of Corporate Social Responsibility is by pooling resources together with likeminded partners”.

She continued “We appreciate that so many of the leading corporate companies have already registered for the tournament and willing to give back to the community, this is a welcome sign; we encourage many more companies to come and join us as we raise money for this cause which is a continuation of projects we have supported in the past”. Previous CSR projects BA has sponsored in Uganda include mosquito nets donation project in Hoima district where BA gave away thousands of nets to families in area’s afflicted by Malaria and a vaccination programme in Kawempe division.

Commenting on the partnership, Richard Kawere, Chairman  of the Corporate League said  ”We happy to join BA and other companies to raise money for this noble cause and are excited to add another activity to our annual Calendar. The BA charity soccer tournament marks the beginning of another highly competitive year for the Corporate League which is now in its 12th season, we believe this charity league opener will become a much anticipated season curtain raiser in the years to come.

Talking about the composition of the teams Richard noted that each team would be made up of seven players one of which must be female with three substitutes, a team coach and a team manager. The winning team will receive the BA Charity Shield and a British Airways World Traveller return air ticket to fly to London, while all its members will be awarded with medals. The best female and male players, best goal keeper will also receive awards. Some of the teams who have already confirmed participation in the tournament include Civicon Group, G4S, AAR, DFCU Bank, SSL Logistics to name but a few.

Commenting on the partnership Faith expressed her gratitude to AAR Health Services who are sponsoring the first aid and medical requirements and G4S who are donating security support for the day.

“Our partnership with Corporate League is one that embraces a common value of Corporate Social Responsibility for which all the corporate companies participating in the annual league passionately share. As British Airways we are glad to be a part of this event which we have agreed to sponsor as an annual revolving trophy.  Faith concluded.

Emirates heads to Taipei

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Taipei became Emirates’ newest passenger destination when flight EK366 arrived at Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport on Monday inaugurating the airline’s daily non-stop service from Dubai International Airport.

“Emirates and Taipei began their partnership in 2003 when Emirates Skycargo launched freighter services from Dubai. I am proud that we have been able to increase our commitment and begin daily, non-stop passenger’s services from today,” said His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group. 

“Dubai and Taipei are very similar, both are important trading hubs and today’s link will help to build on bilateral trade. We have been working hard to promote Taipei across our network and I am confident that the influx of business and leisure passengers will continue to grow,” added Sheikh Ahmed.   

Joining Sheikh Ahmed on the inaugural flight was Mr Ali Mubarak Al Soori, Emirates’ Executive Vice President – Chairman’s Office, Facilities/Projects Management and Procurement & Logistics; Mr. Mohammad AlGhaith;  Mr Nabil Sultan, Emirates’ Divisional Vice President, Cargo; MrRavishankarMirle, Emirates’ Vice President Cargo Commercial; MrAbdulhameed Ma, Director General, Commercial Office of Taiwan; MrShyhPerng Chang, Director, Taiwan Trade Centre, Dubai; Mr Jason Lai, Deputy Director General, Commercial Office of Taiwan;Mr Simon ChihHua Han, Chairman, Taiwanese Community; Mr Adel Ghafan Al Basti, Senior Executive Director – Engineering, Dubai Airport Freezone along with a group of media from the UAE and the GCC.   

The flight was greeted in Taipei with a traditional water cannon salute and the passengers were welcomed by Mr Yin Chen-Pong, Chairman of Taipei Taoyuan Airport Authority, Barry Brown, Emirates Divisional Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations East and Edwin Lau, Emirates’ Vice President Hong Kong and Taiwan. 

The inaugural flight to Taipei was operated by Captain Ali Al Jallaf from the UAE along with First Officer Wen Haw Chi from Taiwan and First Officer ShehabHamza also from the UAE. Captain Hao Chen Huang and First Officer Amy Li Lyons, both from Taiwan, operated the inaugural flight from Taipei along with First Officer Peter Hutchings from the United Kingdom. 

Emirates’ Taipei service is operated by a Boeing 777-300ER, equipped with eight luxurious private suites in First Class, 42 lie-flat seats in Business Class, and generous space for 304 passengers in Economy Class. In-flight passengers enjoy gourmet cuisine in all classes, served by Emirates’ multinational cabin crew of over 132 nationalities, including Taiwanese.  

The aircraft also features ice, Emirates’ award-winning inflight entertainment system which has over 1,600 channels showing the latest blockbusters, subtitled Hollywood films, music, TV and games. 

Taipei, home to nearly seven million people, is an economic and cultural centre with renowned sights, attractions and a myriad of shopping options. The destination is famous for producing and exporting electronics, textiles, plastics and rubber, optical and photographic instruments and chemicals. 

As a tourist there is plenty to do in Taiwan, with eight national parks and 13 national scenic areas visitors can enjoy trekking in the magnificence of the cliffs at Taroko Gorge; taking a ride on the Alishan Forest Railway or hiking up to the summit of Northeast Asia’s highest peak, Yu Mountain. 

Emirates now operates services to 141 destinations in 80 countries from Dubai. So far in 2014 Emirates has launched flights Kiev and from 10th March will fly non-stop to Boston from Dubai, the airline’s ninth destination in North America.  

Omo “Wash and Fly To Dubai” Winners

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Unilever last year launched yet another exciting and rewarding promotion for customers who buy new improved OMO washing powder on the 12th December 2013. The promotion called Wash and Fly to Dubai was announced at an event held at Unilever Head Offices where Judith Babirye was formally introduced to the public as OMO’s Brand Ambassador.

Since its launch we have seen 13 lucky individuals win themselves an all-expenses paid trip to Dubai plus US$500 spending money. The first group of winners who shall be travelling to Dubai are:

  • ADTANI NADIYA RAHIM
  • NATUKUNDA RACHAEL
  • ACENG JACKLINE
  • NUWASIIMA ADRINE
  • AKULLO JANE
  • BYAKATONDA JACKSON
  • BAKULIMYA DORCUS
  • KAMUSIIME ABEL
  • ATIM MOSES
  • NAMAKULA JANE
  • KICONCO MONICA ASIIMWE
  • PATEL BHAVESHBHAI BABUBHAI
  • WAISWA PAUL LUZIGE

The promotion will see more lucky winners getting all-expenses paid trip to Dubai plus US$500 spending money. Customers can enter the promotion by choosing to purchase and collect either

  • 1 OMO 1kg
  • 2 OMO 500g 
  • 5 OMO 45g
  • 1 OMO Extra Fresh 1kg
  • 2 OMO Extra Fresh 500g

To qualify for the promotion customers then need submit an envelope with their name, address, phone number and the empty pack attached and drop it into the promo bins in selected shops and supermarkets.

Speaking at the handover Unilever Marketing Manger Diana Nabukenya said: “This is one of the biggest OMO promotions that we have had so far and we as always we are doing this to give back to our loyal customers with hundreds of prizes up for grabs and the opportunity to fly to Dubai and experience the Arab Emirates.”

OMO washing powder is a superior and quality soap powder that gives you value for your money. New OMO delivers maximum consumer satisfaction by delivering high performance stain-removal and cleaning abilities and a long lasting fragrance. The new OMO is developed from breakthrough technologies and creates a product that gives consumers an unbeatable experience.