Hello, I am Advocate Brownie Ebal
I am a legal Practitioner, Venture Capitalist and Philanthropist.
Welcome to my site.
I love life, travelling, food, beauty, the law, leadership and meeting people from diverse backgrounds. I hope to inspire each one of you with my various articles as I share from my experiences around our beautiful world.
I live in Kampala, Uganda.
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Article 14: Fintech, a key disruption to the traditional banking sector
Written by Adv. Brownie Ebal
On 22nd July, 2022, I attended a zoom panel discussion by The East African Law Society.
The zoom discussion highlighted the growing importance of fintech technology and dominance in the financial sector. In this regard, the rapid mobile penetration in the East African economy, has led to fintech taking a high gear in the emerging economies. Fintech refers to firms leveraging technology to deliver financial products capabilities to customers or other financial services firms, it has also curved out a distinct offering to create a fully fledged sector group, complete with its own service providers, accelerator and market. Once a conduit of the traditional financial service sector, today, fintech holds its own as a mainstay service sector.
Fintech as a nontraditional player has increased non-financial companies offering financial services. These refer to new market entrants outside the traditional banking institutions and carter specific financial services to it’s customer segment and they include; technology companies, mobile network operators, Cash Network, E- Retailer. Many Fin Tech’s due to their robust business models have been able to taste success and have enabled traditional financial institutions to explore areas of co-operation and partnerships to improve reach and efficiency. Due to this new phenomenon, traditional banks have been challenged to become more innovative, promote economic growth and partner with various key players to remain relevant.
Currently, the fintech space is not regulated and further discussions are underway to regulate the space.
The discussion concluded that consumer protection is needed to protect clients of fintech. The panelists urged for better collaboration across all sectors. Currently, various companies use mobile money payments for bills to be paid. E.g. MTN Mobile money, Airtel money.
Further discussions were held in regards to the practicality of fintech to the banking sectors in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.
I urge young lawyers to always attend such informative discussions so as to remain relevant in this ever changing space.
An informed lawyer is an asset.
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Article 13: Public speaking: A novice toast master’s journey
Toastmasters International is a nonprofit educational organization that teaches public speaking and leadership skills through a worldwide network of clubs.
It has objectives such as;
Improve members public speaking skills.
Build leadership skills.
Maximize one’s potential.
Enjoy unlimited personal growth.
Work on networking in a small and supportive environment.
On 30th June, 2022, Toast Masters Muyenga Club had its regular meeting and new members were given a change to practice their speeches. This first speech for every toast master is known as an Ice Breaker speech. It is a speech where members can talk about their lives freely and are given 6 minutes to deliver a memorized speech.
Since, I was a new member, this was my first memorized speech in toastmasters. Since, the speech had to be personal, I decided that I would talk about something very dear to me. This was “leadership.” The title of my speech was “She leads.” As I began my speech, I was excited and nervous. I had presented various intellectual speeches but not personal ones. The thought made me nervous as this was the first time for me to deliver a speech that was personal.
I prepared and headed for the stage. I started quite well with introducing myself, the title to my speech and began telling my childhood leadership journey. Midway, the story, I became nervous and my mind went blank, I could not remember, how my childhood contributed to my leadership journey. As I watched my audience, I panicked and laughed nervously. I was startled by myself but the audience was very supportive and I gained the courage to start afresh.
I asked for a few seconds to calm down, get my thoughts together and then head back to the stage. I returned more determined than ever to convey my truth, not from what I had memorized earlier on but from my heart. This sense of self assurance, that, this is my story and I have the right to tell it as I deem fit, awakened the confidence in me. I was able to tell my leadership journey through my eyes. I specifically shared instances where I failed at elected positions and how I had to get back up despite the failure. For example; in Primary 3, I stood for class representative and was shocked to learn that I lost because my opponent had bought sweets for the entire class. As a young child, this devastated me but it taught me the need to influence people to like me and speak to their hearts and show that I cared so that I could win votes. Despite this loss, I did not give up, I stood again for an elected position in my O’ level and won overwhelmingly with 90 % of the votes. The lessons I learnt from my first campaign journey, helped me secure the votes, this time round. From these elected positions, I have learnt not to quit and to keep serving even without a title. As I grew older, I have started organizations, not because I am the smartest in the room but because, I am not a quitter and I have learnt to start trends. I then my shared journey, from where I was able to start Kitabu- Buk Project a local NGO that has served over a million Ugandans country wide.
As I concluded my speech, I asked the young people, not to give up, keep doing good, keep serving and God will lift you higher than you have ever imagined.
As I concluded my speech, I looked back at how I began, the nerves, forgetting my story and simply freezing on stage.
This article is a call to everyone, not to be afraid to speak as “Public speaking is a journey that you can only move forward through walking in it.
In-case you are interested in joining toast masters, kindly follow the link
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Article 12: Key leadership and career tips for Young Lawyers
On Monday 19th December, 2022, the Young Lawyers mentorship Series was privileged to host The ULS President Emeritus, SC. Pheona Nabasa Wall.
The Young Lawyer’s mentorship Series is an initiative by the Uganda Law Society which is platform that was established to enrich the knowledge of young legal practitioners in Uganda. This platform enables the young people gain insights on how to make it big in the Ugandan legal field and emerge as respectable persons of society.
These are the key insights I picked from her talk:
According to Pheonah, leadership is a calling and not a career as anyone can be a leader. In this light, each one of us should strive to walk the talk so as to inspire others to be the best version of themselves.
The ULS President emeritus tasked young people to embrace leadership. Leadership is not in a title but how you carry yourself. She encouraged all young people to strive to be relevant in this digital age and innovate new ways to solveproblems. She encouraged the youth to grab the opportunity that social media brings and use it to positively impact the lives of others.
She further highlighted that one’s success depends on one’s daily routine. She encouraged members to wake up early and discussed her morning routine which starts at 5 am. This, she said, has helped her reach office early and dedicate an hour to complete her pending work on time without the interruptions that come from office interactions.
The Guest Speaker further encouraged members to take up the spirit of volunteerism. She said that giving back to your community and those less privileged than you will open doors that you never knew existed. Acts of service are a blessing to all. As the Bible says: “It is better to give than to receive.”
She challenged members to create a brand for themselves so that they are known for something positive. She stated that one way to achieve this is through being consistent and keeping your word. This will enable people trust you and give you more responsibility. “If you cannot be trusted with little, then you cannot be trusted with much, “She reiterated.
Key tips on how to progress in one’s career
She stated that each one of us needs to know what we want and work towards it. Sometimes, life can throw various challenges at us but we need to keep steadfast and on track in order to accomplish anything.
She encouraged members to keep learning, retooling and reskilling in an area that interests them.
Key tips on dealing with difficult bosses
She encouraged listeners to read “The 48 laws of Power by Robert.” It will provide insights on how to deal with power.
She encouraged members to pick their battles wisely. Always ask yourself, is it worth it? Also, always remember who is the boss, respect and understand your boss and ensure that they are happy. A happy boss will always vouch for you.
Key tips to keep motivated
She advised members to always put God first. She challenged members to have accountability partners who will keep them on track especially with their faith. This will keep one centered and motivated to keep doing good as Jeremiah 9:11 states:
“I alone know the plans for you, plans not to harm you but plans to prospers you and give you hope and a future.”
Parting shots
She told members not to be afraid to fail as it is part of the leadership journey. You can only learn by trying, not by spectating.
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Article 11: Insights from the International Women Judges Conference
By; Josephine Lunkuse
On 15th December, 2023, the Uganda Chapter of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) hosted their annual gala at the prestigious Sheraton Hotel. The event welcomed distinguished representatives from diverse sectors, including esteemed judges from the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and High Court, as well as registrars and magistrates. Notable attendees also included representatives from key organizations such as the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
Established in 1991, IAWJ is a non-profit, non-governmental organization that unites judges from various levels of the judiciary worldwide. The organization forms a robust network of influential leaders bound by their dedication to equal justice and the rule of law.
Through judicious and community-based initiatives, the organization ardently addresses issues encompassing gender-based violence, human trafficking, early and forced marriages, corruption, along with combating discrimination in employment, inheritance, education, and health services.
Her Royal Highness Sylvia Nagginda, the esteemed guest of honor, emphasized in her opening remarks the pivotal role women play as the backbone of societies. She underscored the significance of collaborative efforts to support vulnerable women. Furthermore, she urged judicial officers to expedite cases, embody qualities of substance, and inspired them to break barriers in their unwavering pursuit of equality and equity.
In her closing remarks, Her Royal Highness expressed heartfelt appreciation for organizations that have championed women’s empowerment, citing NWSC for not only employing women but also entrusting them with significant roles. She highlighted the transformative impact of this support, emphasizing its potential to embolden women who may hesitate to vie for prominent positions. Additionally, she noted that such initiatives contribute to shifting societal norms, challenging the mindset of men who may still resist allowing their wives to pursue professional careers.
Ms. Ebal conveyed sincere gratitude to NWSC for its unwavering commitment to empowering women in the legal sector. She applauded the organization for offering invaluable opportunities that facilitate the advancement and flourishing of women in their professional careers.
NWSC stands as a shining testament to the empowerment of women. Setting a positive example has not only inspired women globally but has also elevated the standards of living within families.–
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Article 10: Fostering Women’s Empowerment in Law Through The Female Lawyers Network
10th.12.23
By; Josephine Lunkuse
The National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC) stands as a beacon of empowerment for women, fostering inclusivity and breaking barriers in traditionally male-dominated fields. NWSC’s commitment to gender equality is reflected in the substantial presence of skilled individuals and exemplified through initiatives that empower women in diverse sectors, from plumbing to leadership and legal roles.
Yesterday evening, NWSC’s female lawyers added a touch of grace to the Female Lawyers Network Distinguished Dinner hosted at Hotel Africana. The event, themed “Strategic Equality in Law,” highlighted the organization’s aim to foster a legal landscape where gender equality is strategically pursued and celebrated.
NWSC’s presence at this distinguished gathering underscored its dedication to supporting and promoting women in the legal profession, contributing to the broader cause of equality and diversity in the field.
The First Deputy Prime Minister, Ms. Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga, served as the chief guest and offered valuable counsel to the attendees. She encouraged them to embrace resilience, nurture creativity, and never underestimate their potentials.
In a pivotal moment, Ms. Kadaga officially launched the pioneering female law firm set to open its doors in Uganda, marking a significant step towards fostering inclusivity and empowering women in the legal profession.
The Female Lawyers Network (FLN), a non-governmental organization dedicated to promoting female excellence, support, and development in the legal arena.
Thereafter, representatives from the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and Seatini shared invaluable insights, guiding the audience on leveraging skill sets to propel their legal careers. The discussions emphasized the significance of adversity, financial discipline, self-proving, team collaboration, emotional intelligence, and the importance of having a mission in life. Attendees were encouraged to find their niche, collaborate with fellow lawyers for knowledge expansion, and seize diverse opportunities.
Lastly, the event culminated in engaging discussions led by panelists, including Hon. Lady Justice Irene Esther Mulyangoja, offering practical strategies for achieving their professional goals.
For more information follow FLN on:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/female-lawyers-network-uganda-315b61260/?originalSubdomain=ug
About Me
I love reading, writing, attending events, learning, leadership and meeting new people.
I hold a Masters Degree in International Law and I am passionate about life.
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