At the 101st Rotary District Conference in Entebbe, Vice President Jessica Alupo hailed Rotary District 9213 for delivering over Shs8 billion in community projects — while District Governor Geoffrey Martin Kitakule called on all sectors to unite in service.
Entebbe | April 16–18, 2026-The Government of Uganda has reaffirmed its recognition of Rotary as a strategic partner in national development, with Vice President Jessica Alupo leading the commendation at the Rotary District 9213 101st Annual Conference — #DISCON101 — held from April 16 to 18 at Imperial Resort Beach Hotel in Entebbe.
Speaking at the official opening, Alupo praised Rotary for its consistent and measurable impact across health, education, environmental conservation, and economic empowerment, describing the organisation as a vital complement to government’s own development agenda.
“As Government of Uganda, we want to commend Rotary for being a trusted and strategic partner in national development, complementing our efforts in delivering critical services, all of which are aligned to Uganda’s Vision 2040 and National Development Plans.”
— Vice President Jessica Alupo
Alupo noted that the core values of Rotary — Leadership, Integrity, and Service Above Self — mirror the principles that guide public service and national transformation. She expressed particular admiration for the financial and programmatic achievements of District 9213 this Rotary year.
A YEAR OF MEASURABLE IMPACT
District Governor Geoffrey Martin Kitakule reported that Rotary in Uganda had implemented projects worth over Shs8 billion during the current Rotary year alone, spanning health, education, youth empowerment, and economic development. The conference served, in part, as a moment to celebrate those gains and set the agenda for the year ahead.
Kitakule, who has led the district’s 137 clubs, more than 5,349 Rotarians, and over 3,173 Rotaractors across Uganda and Tanzania, has consistently framed the organisation’s work in deeply human terms.
“I’m honoured to serve as District Governor. This year, we’re uniting for good — working with communities and partners to create lasting change. Rotary’s core business is humanity — transforming the lives of the less fortunate.”
— Geofrey Martin Kitakule, District Governor, Rotary District 9213
Beyond the headline figure, the district mobilised over $1 million for The Rotary Foundation, enabling Global Grant projects valued at over $4.65 million — a demonstration, the Vice President noted, of Rotary’s capacity to leverage resources efficiently.
HEALTH PROGRAMMES AT THE CENTRE
Health remained the centrepiece of Rotary’s programming this year. Alupo specifically commended the Rotary Family Health Days, the Rotary Cancer Program, the Rotary Mama Toto Care Program, and ongoing efforts to establish a Bone Marrow Transplant Centre at the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC).
She acknowledged President Yoweri Museveni’s personal contribution of Shs3 billion to the Rotary Cancer Program — a gesture that, the Vice President said, reflects the government’s recognition of Rotary as a key partner in the national fight against cancer.
The Rotary Mama Toto Care initiative, spearheaded by Rotarian John Magezi and currently implemented across 14 districts, drew particular praise from the Vice President, who highlighted its direct alignment with the government’s goal to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality.
“As a nation, we cannot achieve sustainable development without safeguarding the lives of mothers and children.”
— Vice President Jessica Alupo
Kitakule’s vision for health has been equally ambitious. The district’s record on polio immunisation — with over 3 million children vaccinated through Rotary’s partnerships — reflects his conviction that transformative change can be achieved at low cost.
“It only takes $1 to save a life.”
— Geofrey Martin Kitakule, on Rotary’s polio immunisation work
BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS, INSPIRING SERVICE
The #DISCON101 conference was itself a statement of scale and ambition. Over 3,000 delegates attended from across Uganda, the region, and the wider Rotary international network. American Emmy Award-winning actress Mary-Louise Parker addressed delegates alongside a speaker lineup that included former Rotary International President Ian Henry Stuart Riseley, Kenyan life coach Robert Burale, and Uganda’s own Francis Tusubira.
Rotary Districts 9213 and 9214 jointly mobilised over Shs1 billion in cash and in-kind support for the conference and two other major Rotary events planned for Uganda in 2026, including the 7th All Africa Zone Institute scheduled for September. Centenary Bank alone contributed Shs280 million across all three events.
Kitakule has been vocal throughout the year in recognising the partners who have made this momentum possible — from financial institutions to advertising agencies to civil society organisations.
“What we are witnessing today is more than sponsorship — it is a shared investment in community leadership and a better future for all of us.”
— Geofrey Martin Kitakule, at the Rotary District 9213 Conference launch
On the Centenary Bank contribution to the conferences, he was equally direct: “We are deeply grateful to Centenary Bank for this generous support. This contribution will go a long way in ensuring the success of the upcoming conferences and strengthening our ability to deliver sustainable, community-driven impact.”
PEACEBUILDING, ENVIRONMENT, AND THE NEXT GENERATION
The conference also celebrated Rotary’s contribution to peacebuilding through the Rotary Peace Centre at Makerere University — the only such centre on the African continent — which trains professionals in conflict resolution, social cohesion, and leadership. Alupo credited the centre with positioning Uganda as a regional hub for peace education.
On the environment, Kitakule’s district has been active on multiple fronts, including a partnership with Uganda Breweries Limited and the National Forest Authority to restore the Namananga Central Forest Reserve in Kayunga District — a three-year, UGX 372 million project to plant 80,000 indigenous trees.
“The Namananga Forest’s restoration is a huge project that calls for cooperation. We are honoured to support UBL as they give back to the environment. I call upon UBL to remain our ESG implementation partners to restore our environment.”
— Geofrey Martin Kitakule, at the Namananga Forest Restoration launch, March 2026
Looking ahead to the next generation, Kitakule’s district partnered with the U.S. Exchange Alumni Network to launch a national initiative establishing Community Resource Centres in Uganda’s five regions. The initiative seeks UGX 1.5 billion and aims to provide young Ugandans with both physical and digital access to information and learning opportunities.
“In the past, I spent a lot of time at the U.S. resource centre to get information about study opportunities abroad. Today, things are online. But we need resource centres to provide resources digitally and physically. Let us do this to help the next generation.”
— Geofrey Martin Kitakule, at the USEA Partnership Breakfast
RECOGNITION AND THE ROAD AHEAD
Vice President Alupo extended appreciation to Kitakule by name for his exemplary leadership throughout the Rotary year. She also congratulated Rotarian Emmanuel Katongole on becoming a Director at Rotary International and Rotarian Francis Tusibira on his appointment as a Trustee of the Rotary Foundation — milestones that elevate Uganda’s standing within the global Rotary movement.
The conference concluded with renewed resolve under its theme, Inspire • Serve • Impact — a charge that, across the evidence of this Rotary year, Rotary District 9213 has already begun to fulfil.
