Unemployment top priority for newly elected Rotary governor

May 29, 2017

Kenneth Wycliffe Mugisha is slated to start work on July 1

The high youth unemployment and rampant destruction of environment are on the agenda of newly elected Rotarian district governor, Kenneth Wycliffe Mugisha.

Mugisha was installed for year 2017/18 during a conference that was held at Arusha in Tanzania on Sunday.

Mugisha, who was elected by Rotary District 9211 is slated to start work on July 1 and will be in charge of districts in Uganda and Tanzania.  

According to him, Rotary has started a project known as 'Rotary Vijana Poa' to put the youth into work through engagement in gainful employment.

"We are targeting the youth like Kifeesi as they are people who feel neglected in society and have nowhere to go," he said.

Statistics from Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) indicate that over 90 percent of youth are unemployed.

Apart from tackling unemployment, Mugisha also pledged to focus on maternal and child health, disease prevention and treatment, economic empowerment, resolving conflicts, literacy, and water and sanitation.

He revealed that Rotary is this year planning to plant over 2.5 million trees, an exercise that will be rolled over for the next five years in partnership with the  Uganda National Roads Authority, and National Forest Authority.

Mugisha further disclosed that they held meetings with Ministry of Water and Environment through their Permanent Secretary, Alfred Okidi, the ministry has committed to give them 1 million tree seedlings.

"As Rotarians, we cannot seat back and wait when the environment is being destroyed through air pollution. Let's join hands together to bring back our environment to save lives," he requested.

He revealed that every year Uganda loses 20 percent of forest cover through destruction due to the high demand for charcoal and firewood.

Mugisha said trees protect human beings, through the absorption of carbon dioxide emissions which cause cancer, which is currently the biggest killer disease in Uganda combined with HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases.

In a bid to protect the trees from destruction, Mugisha said they will employ tree-stars in the community to make sure the trees grow.

"We shall equip them with incentives like solar so that they look after and protect the trees".

He disclosed that they recently built a blood bank at Mengo Hospital, a cancer ward at Nsambya Hospital and a hospital in Mukono district for victims of accidents.

Mugisha also pledged to restore reserves which have been depleted in the country through re-afforestation.

Sam Owori, the President of Rotary International said there is no problem with cutting trees if they are replanted.

He added that all hills should be covered with trees so that Uganda can start influencing changes in weather.

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