Amazingly this building cannot be missed from any corner of Kampala.

Coffee shops and airports the world over are known to have hotspots allowing you to surf the web at no extra fee other than the price you pay for your cup of coffee. Panorama Coffee Shop on 9th floor workers house will do exactly that for you.

With your laptop or GPRS phone coupled with the modern design and artistic scenery, you will be having an aerial view of Kampala from the 9th floor at workers house as you look at what is latest on Ugandaonline.net. It is not very large to accommodate again so many people, but that is what makes it lovely.

On getting there as you place your order for whatever bites, you also request for a password to enable you surf on the go.

Radio, Telly, Billboards and other forms of media are running either Zap Money or MTN Mobile money adverts. But this is technology some will continue shying away from but also a great tool to those who have already tried it out. You can compare this to one who uses an ATM for withdrawing but at the same time fears to deposit through an ATM. This means that they would rather go traditional i.e. walk to the banking hall and bank the money over the counter.

Zap Money is a service of sending money from a Zain Mobile phone to any other mobile phone where as MTN Mobile money is a similar service of sending money from an MTN Mobile enabled phone to any mobile phone in the country. Please note that when sending money; it does not matter which network the recipient is on.

Zap has a lot more functions as compared to MMM. You can use Zap to fuel your vehicle, access your bank account, send and receive money within East Africa and E.A we are talking of five countries i.e. Uganda, Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania.

We are yet to establish which other functions MTN Mobile money can offer over and above sending and receiving money to anyone with a mobile phone in Uganda. Short of that, the services are great and once analyzed through the aspect of sending and receiving money, the new products are doing very well. Over 2Billion Uganda shillings has been transacted within the first two months of launching the service.

Threat to Banks
The population of people with mobile phones is three times higher than the bank account holders in the entire country. The latest statistics of people with mobile phones is at 10Million whereas bank account holders are just 3Million. This has brought in third party affiliations like Western Union who recently teamed up with Zap Money to offer their services.

Kampala Vs Up Country
In Kampala, the money transfer service is well spread across the city because, mobile vans are occasionally seen in busy places tring to register new members and answering frequently asked questions from those who are still trying to get to terms with the new service, Mobile money agents or Zap agents are in each and every corner. Unfortunately this is not the case when you get out of Kampala and you try to go upcountry. For example you might find just one branch in Kireka, followed by another in Bweyogerere, Mukono and then Lugazi. The next Mobile money agent could be in Jinja.

More benefits are yet to be realized from this service which is taking Kampala by storm. In Kenya for example, DSTV subscribers can pay their bills using Zap money.

Sometime last year we told you of how the managers of street parking in Kampala had introduced parking metres (Multiplex Launches Parking Meters) and now they are up with another innovation. The innovation is not to the advantage of the customers but to Multiplex itself because it helps them identify defaulters on spot.

You must have noticed a pick up with some gadget on its bonnet and if you have not; the next time you see a white pick up with such a gadget do not wonder what that is. It is cruised at low speed while the camera is positioned on the left hand signed of the bonnet looking out for cars with probably huge balances.

Sales Boosted
This has certainly boosted their sales because curbing of defaulters is now auto as opposed to the manual system. It is now common seeing a number of vehicles clamped. However, while they are doing a lot in that direction, they are doing very little in terms of addressing the problems which the customers face.  On walking to the help desk at the main post office on Kampala road and you ask that they check for your number plate, it is rear that your number will return with nill balances. You are always having something to pay even when you are pretty certain you have not had any parking issues in the recent past.

Way Forward
It is better for Multiplex to equip the parking attendants with digital cameras so that in case of any issues a photograph is attached to that case making it clear of where one parked. In case of complaints in future, that photograph is retrieved and that matter amicably sorted.

Parking is 400shs for the first one hour and the next hour attracts 800shs which is 1,200 for two hours implying that it is cheaper to buy a monthly sticker which will go for 1,000 for the entire day only that you pay for it 30 days up front. Should you default on one ticket which goes for 400shs, it will attract a surcharge of 2,000 shs. For example if you had two tickets unpaid for, this would mean you have not paid 800shs but this will attract 4000shs in terms of surcharges.

In the nutshell you are better off paying your parking dues than driving off because looking at the surcharge out of a mere 400shs unpaid, you are better off clearing your parking due. In some cases you wait for these guys (parking attendants) or hoot for them to come to your rescue but it will save you a few bucks.

Amazingly, not even these guys will give you this information because it greatly reduces on monies that will otherwise be flowing to them.