Rotarian Francisco Ssemwanga, the new Rotary Governor of District 9214, has pledged to promote basic education and literacy to expand the Rotary movement and increase its impact on communities in Uganda.
At the 98th district conference, held under the theme “Celebrating Communities” at the Las Vegas Hotel in Mbarara City, Ssemwanga and District Governor 9213 Edward Kakembo Nsubuga received chains of leadership from Past Governor Peace Taremwa and Mike Sebalu, respectively.
Ssemwanga stated that he chose to prioritize basic education and literacy due to his personal experience of social and economic inequalities and underprivileged communities, having lost his father at three years old to war and his mother at sixteen to cancer.
He attributes his education to the support of his relatives and elder siblings and believes that education empowers, opens doors of opportunity, and promotes equality. For this reason, he chose basic education and literacy as the signature tune for his district during his rotary year.
During the same conference, Rotarian Christine Kawooya from the Rotary Club of Muyenga Tank hill was nominated as District Governor Nominee for District 9214 for 2025/26, while Rotarian Geoffrey Kitakule from the Rotary Club of Kampala South is the District Governor Nominee for District 9213.
Rotarian Peace Taremwa, the outgoing Governor of District 9214, expressed excitement over the progress Rotary made during his tenure in all areas of focus for Rotary, including maternal health and child, environmental conservation, water, and sanitation, among others.
PDG and RIPPA Marty Peak Helman implored Rotarians to make decisions with evidence and imagine a world free of diseases, polio, malaria, and violence.
Rotarian Jassy Kazibwe Nalongo, the president of Kampala Ssese Islands, emphasized the need to focus on the boy child, who is often overlooked in discussions of basic education and literacy.
She stated that 45% of gender-based violence is attributed to the poor upbringing of boys who are not properly trained before entering a marriage.
Mbarara City Deputy Resident Commissioner Robert Kanusu called on Rotarians to help bridge income disparities between the poor and very rich, which he believes will be a significant battle for this century.
He urged civil society to support government efforts to build infrastructure by providing additional services to those affected.
Rotary clubs were recognized for their outstanding service, including the construction of schools, the provision of community health ambulances, water harvesting tanks, and the distribution of books to schools across the country.
The Rotary Club of Kampala South won nine awards and was named the Rotary Club of the Year.
