Kenyatta, Ssekandi hail Rotary for fostering development in the region

By Rotarian PDG Robert Ssebunnya

Over the weekend, Rotarians from Great Lakes Region and the Horn of Africa thronged Kenya’s eastern Seaport Municipality of Mombasa to attend the 88th Special Rotary District Conference and Assembly. The annual event took place at the Leisure Lodge, Quarry County in Mombasa.

Kenyan newly sworn in President Uhuru Kenyatta and Uganda’s Vice President Rotarian Edward Ssekandi who led the Ugandan team graced the event which attracted over 1300 Rotarians from the two regions.

In his keynote address to Rotarians, Uhuru Kenyatta described Rotary activities and membership in the region as a pillar to auxiliary partnerships with governments within countries in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes Region.

Kenyatta praised services and partnerships registered over the years following the introduction and establishment of Rotary Movements and the Great Lakes Region (GLR) and Horn of Africa. ‘Rotary have engaged its membership in programmes which are so critically important to the communities within the region; thereby assisting the governments in areas of malaria control, immunisation, polio eradication, water and sanitation, education and disability.’ ‘It would have been the role of government to accomplish such tasks but Rotary took the mantle to spearhead these projects.’ He added.

He pledged total support to rotary in Kenya and within the E.A. Community, using its membership to advocate for good citizenry, good governance, and rule of law and tracking the E.A. Co-operation through various bodies and institutions.

His Government is committed to do everything by appreciating the Rotarians role in partnering to bring about development in the community.  The government will strive to cooperate with the Rotary to advance, nurture and cherish development. “My father Jomo Kenyatta was a great supporter of Rotary movement and a number of his contemporaries were Rotarians although he never belonged to any club” he revealed.

Uganda’s Vice President, Edward Ssekandi, a seasoned Rotarian and a ‘hundred percenter’ said Rotary is viewed by the Uganda government as a joint developer because it has engaged in a number of development activities which are primarily of government concern. Over the years, Rotary has contributed substantially in projects, which are beneficial to the people, aimed at bettering their lives and generally improving the health status of the nation for which Uganda government highly appreciates.

Rotary have engaged in projects such as Uganda Heart Institute, Cancer Institute which tells a lot in terms of commitment by Rotarians in their objective to provide services to the most vulnerable people of our society. The Government recognises the role of Rotary in educating the masses to better lives contributing substantially to polio eradication, malaria and other common diseases that affect our community.

Rotary in Uganda was established in 1957 by a number of Rotarians.  Through Rotary International’s Rotary Foundation, Rotarians have brought smiles to the faces of many people including children. It has substantially reduced the tension on the minds of parents with children with heart ailments and cancer through open heart surgery and treatment thereby saving between $15,000 - 20,000 which would have costed those parents to take their children abroad for treatment.

Uganda is committed to providing financial support to Cancer and Heart Institutes to facilitate heart operations targeting over 100 children annually. The Government is looking at enabling the UHI to open heart surgery with an annual contribution of $500,000; in addition to equipping the Institute with State of the art equipment. “I am proud for being a Rotarian and I don’t regret being a member of the Rotary Club of Rubaga, I am convinced that Rotary is the way to go in championing development” Ssekandi said.

He said the leadership in Uganda starting with President Museveni is supportive to the Rotary cause. President Museveni is a Paul Harris Fellow, an award given to people who have contributed to world understanding and peace. High profiled Ugandans too are Rotarians these include: Ssabasajja Kabaka Muwenda Mutebi, Late Cardinal Nsubuga, Archbishop Cyprian Kizito Lwanga and Mufti of Uganda Sheikh Shaban Mubajje, who are Paul Harris Fellows, former Prime Minister Apollo Nsibambi, Bank of Uganda Governor, Tumusiime Mutebile, former Attorney General  Dr. Kiddu Makubuya, former Health Minister Jim Muhwezi, Dr. J.S. Muyingo Minister of State for Higher Education, Maj. General Katumba Wamala of UPDF, Justice Kiryabwire, Justice Remmie Kasule, Justice Ogola,  the Former Katikkiro of Buganda, Eng. J.B. Walunsimbi, to mention but a few.   The Government is, therefore, excited with Rotary extension to rural areas where the basic services are needed.

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President Uhuru Kenyatta meets Uganda's vice president, Edward Ssekandi at the official opening of the 88th district conference and assembly in Kenya

Rotary movement started in the region in the 1930s and at that time it comprised of the then Union of South Africa, Nyasaland (Zimbabwe), Belgian Congo, Southern Rhodeasia and some countries south of the equator. The first Governors were mainly from the South Africa until the first Rotary Club started in Nairobi that gave birth to serious Rotary activities. The Rotary Clubs started in Tanganyika and Uganda around the late 50s and at that time the membership were predominantly of Asian and European origins.

The enthronement of the first African Rotary District Governor in 1971/72 in the names of Phan Ntende the then Chairman of Lint Marketing Board inspired many good hearted people in the region to become Rotarians.  Many looked at Ntende as a torch bearer of Rotary in the District and the region as a whole and subsequently many African Rotarian leaders emerged to the leadership of the District in the persons of Sam Owori former Chairman/Managing Director Uganda Commercial Bank and alternate Director of the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Henry Kyemba former Minister of Health, Nelson Kawalya Minister of Health Buganda Government, Robert Ssebunnya former Minister  and Senior Presidential Adviser, Prof. Tusuubira, Chris Mutalya and Steven Mwanje.

Currently, Rotary has greatly expanded within the region by creating so many clubs which has necessitated the Rotary International to consider re-districting because it had become difficult to cover the number of clubs in the region. On April 28, 2013, two districts were born out of District 920 namely; 9211and 9212 respectively. The Disrtict 9211 comprises of Tanzania and Uganda. It will be governed by Rotarian Emmanuel Katongole the Executive Director of Quality Chemicals, who becomes the first District Governor of the newly created district on July 1, 2013.

The 9212 district covers Kenya, South Sudan, Eretria and Ethiopia and is going to be under the governorship of Harry Mugo, the Kenyan who becomes its first Governor on July1, this year.

The formation of new Rotary Districts has its challenges but there are several benefits.  District 9211 will be able to share the Rotary Foundation contribution in terms of funding, scholarships, exchange programmes and others will be shared by two countries instead of five as it has been. The new Governor is mandated to travel to all clubs that make the district.  There are also opportunities created for Ugandans and Tanzania to become Governors and subsequently becoming International Service Officers of Rotary International, which means the President of Rotary International can assign past District Governors to any country of importance to Rotary Service.

Rotary in Uganda has championed many important projects in the areas of health.  The $30,000 to kick start Uganda Heart Institute came from Rotary Foundation of Rotary International and so is the Cancer Institute.  Today, Rotary is funding the construction of the Cancer Centre at Nsambya Hospital and has organised fundraising Marathons in aid of these projects.  Rotary International, through Rotary Foundation alone has provided over $5m to projects in Uganda and has met the cost of all the polio vaccine for immunisation in the region.  These are crucial contributions to the country and the region.

The Role of District Governor

District Governor’s role is to ensure that the Rotary International President objectives and strategic plans are implemented during his year as President.  In addition the District Governor is supposed to also ensure that his plans for his years as Governor are also implemented by clubs within the District.  He is supposed to visit every club including projects and file reports to Rotary International.  He is a highly accomplished person who interacts with Governors from other districts and Presidents of Governments in the district and integrates Rotary programmes in his district.  The Governor also links up the district with President of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation.  It is a tough job but Rtn Katongole given his 18 years of Rotary Service he has the charisma to carry out the assignment successfully.

Rotary International is re-known to elect its leadership two year upfront.  The incoming Governor after Rotarian Katongole is Harish Bhatt from Tanzania for the year 2014/15 while Uganda’s Robert Wagwa will take charge in 2015-16.  Then at the time of Rotary District conference and assembly new leadership will be elected for the years 2016/2017.

Considering the Uganda’s population growth rate today, Rotary Movement is looking at every urban town centres and district to have a Rotary Club with a common objective of enhancing health programmes, water, sanitation education and other development programmes aimed at taking services closer to communities.

Rotary strives on voluntarism and through contributions to Rotary Foundation and the need for the East Africans to embrace  voluntarism to serve humanity should be part of our of life in the crusade to transform our communities.

The writer is a Senior Presidential Advisor