Kadaga meets Rotary International president

The Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has commended the Rotary International world president John Germ who paid a courtesy call her yesterday for funding activities aimed at improving the life of humanity. 

Kadaga asked Germ to help Uganda in combating malaria which she said continues to kill so many Ugandans. 

"This weekend we have been blessed to host both the FIFA president and Rotary International president. We are also happy that a Ugandan will next year be the president of Rotary International," Kadaga said. 

She appealed to Germ, who was scheduled to go to India, to get time off and come back to Uganda for a holiday to tour Uganda. 

Germ informed the speaker that in the last three years they have given Uganda $7.7m (sh28b) to support various initiatives. 

The Rotary International president said, in their interventions to help humanity as Rotarians, they need the cooperation of both government and the private sector. 

Germ said Sam Owori, who will the second African to lead Rotary International, is a deserving leader.    

Jonathan B. Majiyagbe from the Rotary Club of Kano in Nigeria was the first African to be elected Rotary International president for the 2003/2004 year. 

Owori who is based in Chicago said, "Uganda is privileged that Germ has visited. There are over 200 member countries and the president who holds office for only one year cannot visit every country." 

Owori said he is ably representing Uganda at the headquarters of Rotary International in Chicago with the flag of Uganda flying in his office. 

Rotary International is the global body responsible for the administration, policy formulation and financial control of Rotary clubs worldwide. 

The proprietor of Quality Chemicals, Emmanuel Katongole, who identified himself as an aide to Germ, said out of the money from Rotary International, they have been able to do so many things in Uganda including building a hospital in Mukono and building a blood bank at Mengo Hospital.