Kampala, Uganda- Rotary District 9213 has officially launched the 2025–2026 Rotary year with a powerful call to action to Ugandans to embrace the spirit of service, join Rotary, and help transform communities across the country.
The appeal was made on Tuesday at a press conference held at Protea Hotel in Kampala, where outgoing District Governor Anne Nkutu ceremoniously handed over the District Governor’s chain to her successor, Geoffrey Martin Kitakule.
The dignified event was officiated by Past District Governor (PDG) Tusu.
Speaking to Journalists, Kitakule delivered a heartfelt plea for greater public participation in Rotary’s mission calling on Ugandans to Join Rotary to transform their communities.
“Please join us for us to make a difference. To treat a child for polio, you don’t need more than $1. I’m sure everybody can make that complete $1. Yes, there are membership fees and other forms of support, but the truth is Rotary is open to each and everyone.”
While acknowledging the global challenge of membership growth, Kitakule praised Uganda’s impressive progress, citing a gain of over 800 new members in the previous year.
However, he emphasized that with a population exceeding 40 million, more Ugandans especially the youth must be encouraged to join.
“You don’t have to be a billionaire to give back. We want to create a culture of giving, which is often missing in our society. People always expect to receive, but Rotary teaches that you can give, no matter your means.”
Kitakule reaffirmed Rotary’s dedication to sustainable, community-driven impact aligned with its Seven Areas of Focus ranging from education and maternal health to economic development and peace-building.
“We want sustainability in our projects. Whether it’s building schools, supplying books, or empowering girls with sanitary kits so they stay in school, our goal is long-term impact,” he explained.
He highlighted the importance of clubs identifying local needs, embedding Rotary’s focus areas into tailored community responses.
“When we get a community, we embed all the issues of our seven areas of focus. It’s about making a holistic impact, not just one-off donations.”
In the previous Rotary year, the district implemented nearly $4 million worth of community projects. For the new year, they aim to raise over $1 million from Rotarians and partners, to scale up interventions.
Representing the Rotaract community, Abesage Nahabwe, the District 9213 Rotaract Representative, echoed Kitakule’s sentiments and outlined the vision of youth-led service.
“This beginning of a new year is also the beginning of a new commitment. As a leader of Rotaract, i represent young people who are energetic, bold, and full of great ideas. And we believe service is one way to transform lives,” she said.
This year, Rotaract’s message is “Unite for Good” a simple but powerful call to collective action.
“We know that isolation doesn’t give results. But together, we impact more. We invest in education, health, and peace-building not just to tick boxes, but to ensure continuity and a better tomorrow,” Nahabwe said.
She emphasized the importance of active listening to communities as a tool for responsive and effective service.
“We want to listen more to our peers, to the communities, and to the world so that the solutions we implement truly tackle the root causes.”
The day’s speakers consistently underscored that Rotary’s work is not for a privileged few, but a movement open to anyone with the heart to serve.
“Rotary is not about class or wealth it’s about impact. So come and join us. Whether you speak Luganda, Luo, Runyakitara, or English, we’re taking this message into every language and every village. Let’s make a lasting legacy,” Kitakule added.
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