Rotarians under District 9213 have been warned against conflicts among clubs which are claimed to be responsible for chasing away would-be partners for charity work.

The warning was sounded by the district governor Edward Kakembo Nsubuga during the chartering of the new Rotary Club of Mbalwa on Saturday, February 17, at Mbalwa.

“It is unfortunate that we are experiencing a lot of internal bickering, especially among new clubs, Rotary is not built on promoting conflicts, but it is built on promoting togetherness through peace and charity work.

Since we are chartering you with quite a good number of members, let us promote peace among ourselves so that we can serve better,” he said.

He said conflicts within clubs tend to deviate people from their active roles of serving people above themselves and fulfilling the seven areas of Rotary focus which include child and maternal health, environment, basic education and literacy, economic empowerment and child health among others.

The governor explained that Mbalwa is the newest club in District 9213 being headed by charter president Eng. Kent Kiggundu.

He applauded the new charter president for being a good mobiliser saying the club was chartered with 33 active members, showing a sign of an active president and a good mobiliser.

“When you join Rotary never think of leaving it, because our core value is serving the community above self, you have to be very rich but have a golden heart, every year we have to serve but as a president always sit in the front seat and drive the club.

When you travel abroad and see any rotary emblem, whether on a school in Algeria, India or the USA, just know, it’s your money that did that,” he said.

He said Rotary is currently facing several challenges, especially relating to numbers which is making it difficult to fulfil the seven areas of focus.

“We have lost quite a number of members because of COVID-19, so many people lost their jobs while others passed on, which is making our numbers threatened. The English say “the more the merrier” so it is important that we grow our numbers because numbers mean money, and if more people come to join us, we shall be able to do more to help our communities with clean water, environment among others,” he explained.

Eng. Kiggundu in his message, pledged to firstly support the Police in Mbalwa with a decent toilet saying it’s embarrassing for a Police station not to have a decent toilet.

“We are so delighted to have attained this status, my first focus will be on people who need services in the different areas, especially in Mbalwa and largely in the whole of Uganda since Rotary does not have a limit in service, provided you inform the leadership.

We shall begin by identifying some areas which need assistance and I have already identified our Police which does not have a toilet,” said.

The club even before being chartered he said was already carrying out activities in sensitising the youth about HIV/AIDS, planting trees in the different areas and hopes to do more.

He explained that the club after conducting a needs assessment will write to Rotary International and seek more funding to carry out meagre projects that can impact society.

The former Kira Municipality mayor, Mamerito Mugerwa, who is also a major donor of the Rotary Club of Bweyogerere-Namboole which mothered the Rotary Club of Mbalwa, said donating to people and different clubs is aimed at seeing other people having smiles on their faces.

“We donated to this club to see that it stands such that when it stabilises, it will also donate to other clubs to realise service in communities.

God has blessed me ever since I became a politician and there is no way I should not donate to others to realise a smile on their faces,” he said.

Governor nominee Geoffrey Kitakule challenged the charter president to embrace mobilising new members to the club.

“This marks the beginning of even more hard work ahead of you, you must attract new members into the club and make sure that the club grows and also retain the existing members and ensure that they pay their dues,” he advised.