%0 Journal Article %T Monetary Policy and Profitability of Commercial Banks in Uganda %A Robert Ndyanabo Mbabazize %A Dickson Turyareeba %A Peter Ainomugisha %A Peter Rumanzi %J Open Journal of Applied Sciences %P 625-653 %@ 2165-3925 %D 2020 %I Scientific Research Publishing %R 10.4236/ojapps.2020.1010044 %X Background: Economic theory suggests that monetary policy through interest rates affects bank profitability. There is limited empirical evidence on the relationship between monetary policy and profitability of commercial banks in Uganda. Objective: This study seeks to examine the effect of monetary policy on the profitability of commercial banks in Uganda. Methodology: The study adopts a causal relationship research design. Data, covering 9 years from 2010-2018, was collected from all the registered commercial banks which were in operation over the study period. Various monetary policy variables are included in the empirical model as predictor variables. Return on Assets is used as a measure of bank profitability. A dynamic two-step System Generalized Method of Moments panel estimator is applied to estimate the empirical model. Findings: Estimates show that monetary policy in terms of its link to the lending rate has a significant causal effect on Return on Assets, suggesting that interest rate changes predict bank profitability of commercial banks in Uganda. Further, results show that a rise in core inflation has a significant negative causal effect on the banksĄŻ profitability and that there is a significant lagged effect of Return on Assets. The 91-day treasury bill rate and money supply were insignificant in predicting bank profitability.