American actress Mary-Louise Parker has arrived in Uganda ahead of the 101st Rotary District Conference, commonly referred to as DISCON101, which officially opened today, Thursday, at Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe.
Parker, best known internationally for her acclaimed roles in television and film, jetted into the country on Wednesday night and is among the headline speakers at the three-day conference, which runs from April 16-18, 2026, under the theme ‘Inspire. Serve. Impact.’
Her arrival marks a rare instance of a prominent Hollywood personality visiting Uganda for a civic event and has generated considerable interest both within Rotary circles and among the general public.
Parker joins a distinguished lineup of speakers that includes Robert Burale, a prominent Kenyan motivational speaker and life coach with a wide following across East Africa; Ntare Guma Mbayo Mwine, a Ugandan-American actor and activist; Ian Henry Stuart Riseley, a former president of Rotary International; Steve Killelia; Raju Subramanian; Uganda’s own Francis Tusubira; and David Alexander.
Over 3,000 Delegates Expected
DISCON101 is the annual conference of Rotary District 9213, which covers Uganda. This year’s edition is the 101st and is expected to draw over 3,000 delegates, including Rotary leaders, business executives, policymakers, development partners, and guests from across Uganda, East Africa, and the broader Rotary international network.
The conference is being held in parallel with broader Rotary ambitions in Uganda this year. Rotary Districts 9213 and 9214, which cover Tanzania, have adopted a joint sponsorship framework to co-finance three major Rotary events in the country: DISCON101, the District 9214 conference scheduled for April 23 to 25 at Speke Resort Munyonyo in Kampala, and the 7th All Africa Zone Institute, set for September 29 to October 3, 2026.
Together, the three events are expected to attract combined attendance of over 3,000 delegates.
Over Shs1 billion mobilised
In what organisers have described as a strategic shift in how Rotary engages corporate Uganda, the joint framework has so far mobilised over Shs1 billion in cash and in-kind support. More than Shs600 million in cash has already been secured, alongside over Sh300 million in kind.
Centenary Bank is the platinum sponsor of the events, with the bank’s executive director, Fabian Kasi, confirming a contribution of Shs280 million across the three events, Shs100 million allocated to each district conference, and Shs80 million towards the Zone Institute.
Other partners include gold sponsors Stanbic Bank, Vaal Real Estate, Prudential, Fotogenix, Next Media, Fireworks Advertising, and GK Foods.
District 9213 governor Geoffrey Martin Kitakule, who is presiding over the conference, said Rotary in Uganda has implemented projects worth over Shs8 billion since the start of the 2025/2026 Rotary year in July, spanning health, education, youth empowerment, environmental conservation, economic development, peacebuilding, and leadership.
“The upcoming events will also provide an important platform to showcase Rotary’s achievements, strategic partnerships, and future opportunities for collaboration,” Kitakule said.
DISCON101 runs through Saturday, April 18, 2026, at Imperial Resort Beach Hotel, Entebbe.
