Fred Ssenyonga

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, securitisation instruments and legal opinions from different jurisdictions.

Additionally, he has knowledge in the management of delinquent facilities, loan recovery and collateral realisation 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.

• Uganda Law Society
• East African Law Society

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

Dec 2023 – Date: Partner, Banking & Finance, MMAKS Advocates, Kampala

Apr 2021 – Nov 2023 Senior Legal Counsel, ABSA Bank Uganda Limited, Kampala

Jan 2021 – Mar 2021 Manager, Registration & Securities, Housing Finance Bank Limited

Aug 2015 – Dec 2020 Manager, Litigation & Recovery, Housing Finance Bank Limited

Feb 2013 – Jul 2015 Legal Officer, Equity Bank Uganda Limited, Kampala

Sept 2010 – Jan 2013 Legal Officer, Pan Afric Impex (U) Limited, Kampala

Banking & Transactional Advisory

• Advising the purchaser in connection with a USD 12 million receivables financing transaction related to the supply of technology equipment by a group of companies in Hong Kong to a telecommunications company in Uganda.
• Drafting and reviewing facility documents as local counsel in connection with the transition of a LMA-governed USD 100 million syndicated facility advanced to a telecommunications company in Uganda from LIBOR to other risk-free rates.
• Advising the lender on facility and security documents in connection with a cross-border commodity financing transaction of USD 10 million, including reviewing security documents and opinions governed by French law.
• Advising the lender in connection with the restructuring of a USD 20 million structured commodity financing transaction into a trade transaction to suit the borrower’s business requirements, including variation of financing and security documents governed by the law of Jersey.
• Advising and participating in the preparation of transaction documents in connection with a USD 20 million facility for the construction of a major shopping mall in Kampala, including reviewing complex transaction documents.of the facility that was syndicated between lenders in Uganda and Kenya.
• Advising on and overseeing a realisation of a prime residential complex in Kampala on behalf of a mortgagee in connection with its USD 3 million facility, including creating condominium titles and preparing sale and conveyance instruments.
• Advising various banks in connection with 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.