Fred Ssenyonga

Background

Fred is a Partner and heads the Banking and Finance team. He has a comprehensive understanding of the law and practice relating to banking, project finance, leasing, and dispute resolution.

Fred has over 10 years’ combined experience in the Banking and Finance practice gained through his engagement with 3 commercial banks in Uganda. During this period, he has advised on and participated in the structuring, negotiation, and documentation of syndicated facilities, trade finance deals, receivables financing and commodity financing transactions. This has often entailed review and negotiation of complex financing documents, securitization instruments and legal opinions from different jurisdictions.

Additionally, he has knowledge in the management of delinquent facilities, loan recovery and collateral realization derived from his past deployment in Litigation and Recovery Management with a commercial bank.

Fred holds an Upper-Second Class LL.B   (Hons.) degree from Makerere University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Law Development Centre.

Fred has a comprehensive understanding of the law and practice relating to banking, project finance, leasing, and dispute resolution.

Membership in Professional Societies

• Uganda Law Society
• East African Law Society

Professional Qualifications

• Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice, Law Development Centre, Kampala
• LL. B, Bachelor of Laws, Makerere University, Kampala

Career Summary

• Dec 2023 - Date   Partner, Banking & Finance, MMAKS Advocates, Kampala
• April 2021 – Nov 2023         Senior Legal Counsel, ABSA Bank Uganda Limited, Kampala
• Jan 2021 – March 2021        Manager, Registration & Securities, Housing Finance Bank Limited
• Aug 2015 – Dec 2020          Manager, Litigation & Recovery, Housing Finance Bank Limited
• Feb 2013 – July 2015          Legal Officer, Equity Bank Uganda Limited, Kampala
• Sept 2010 – Jan 2013         Legal Officer, Pan Africa Impex (U) Limited, Kampala

Areas of Expertise

• Corporate & Project Finance
• Banking & Transactional Advisory
• Corporate recoveries and delinquency management
• General Corporate & Commercial Advisory

Language

• English
• Luganda 

Top Matters

Banking & Transactional Advisory

• Advising the Purchaser in a receivables financing transaction related to a supply of technology equipment by a group of companies in Hong Kong to a telecommunication company in Uganda. The transaction value was in the sum of USD 12M.
• Participated in the preparation and review of facility documents for the transition of a syndicated facility in the sum of USD 100M advanced to a telecommunication company in Uganda from LIBOR to other risk-free rates. The transaction was undertaken in collaboration with Norton Rose Full Bright and LMA documentation was used.
• Advising the lender on facility and security documents related to a commodity financing transaction of USD 10M. The transaction involved counter parties from multiple jurisdictions and involved review of security documents and opinions governed by French law.
• Advising the lender in a restructuring of a USD 20M structured commodity financing transaction into a trade transaction to suit the borrower’s business requirements. The transaction involved variation of financing and security documents, including the introduction of new security documents governed by the law of Jersy.
• Advised and participated in the preparation of transaction documents in connection with a 20M facility for the construction of a major shopping mall in Kampala. The facility was syndicated between lenders in Uganda and Kenya and involved review of complex transaction documents.
• Advising on and overseeing a realization of a prime residential complex in Kampala on behalf of a mortgagee in connection with its USD 3M facility. The process involved creation of condominium titles and preparation of sale and conveyance instruments.

• Routinely advising Banks on their compliance obligations arising under the various laws and regulations enacted, and regulatory circulars issued by the Central Bank and other regulators from time to time.