100th Rotary District Conference
How I Saw It with Lens from Lubiji
Fourteen delegates from the Rotary Club of Nansana joined thousands of Rotarians in Jinja(April 9th to 12th ,2025) to celebrate a centennial milestone of the District Conference(DISCON) under District 9213.
With Governor Anne Nkutu on the steering wheel, there was no reason to miss out on the magic that Jinja had in store.
Led by our Magical lady president Esther Mwanje,the team from Lubiji,managed to navigate through Bugerere to be in time and be a part of the Rotary history.
The late Pecos Kutesa’s book on the liberation war ,has a subtitle that always catches my eye. “How I Saw It". The disclaimer here is that of the 14 delegates, this is how I saw it on my end.
Prior to the DISCON,I had gone ahead to collect views from our lady Rotarians for our Women’s Day Special Club Newsletter ,the Lubiji Times, on what their thoughts on Rotary were and in particular which lady Rotarian they looked up to.
“One Lady Rotarian I greatly admire is District Governor (DG) Anne Nkutu”,one respondent affirmed. “Her tireless dedication to Rotary causes, her inspiring leadership, and her kindness have made a profound impact on me", she added
That ,she embodies the true spirit of Rotary and is a shining example of what it means to live a life of service.
If you were in Jinja,you surely will agree with this respondent about Governor Anne.
The DISCON was top notch. It was a celebration of service,filled with a diversion of culture and well executed. Henry Rugamba and the team, put all they had together to pull off this. Preparing for more than 1000 delegates is no mean feat.
Four great days and four good nights. What a time to be alive.The DISCON is a get away from the usual, to loosen up,to make new friends ,travel and venture into new avenues and places, to learn, to admire, to benchmark, to make merry and to celebrate a year of voluntary service, and then ponder about the future .
This was my 10th DISCON and as it is always with humans, we tend to develop a comparison culture of past events. I wasn’t going to be taken up by that. Bygones are bygones. This was the real one and had to live it as it came. At least I didn’t have to lose trace of my hotel room like it happened a decade ago on the strange streets of Nairobi after one too many. I was home and surrounded by my very own.
I don’t remember having all the 14 delegates from Nansana in one picture. We were all scattered allover the place. Fusing with the different clubs ,making new friends and learning from them.Cheering even those that won awards.Yes,because they are family.When Kansangati won the newsletter award,we cheered,they are our mother.When Kasubi got a mention on the awards,we cheered too,they are our child.
The satisfaction we got when the beautifully done Family Tree welcomed us to the venue, was second to none.
In our 16 years, to see clubs like Kampala-Kawempe,Wakiso,Matugga,Kasubi and Nansana Metro on our branch reach,is as good as winning an award.We haven’t been stagnant on that stand.
Talking about awards, a good friend of mine Rtn.Claire Amanya from the Acacia Sunset crew, threw a spanner at me and asked whether Nansana had won any award.
I retorted by confirming to her that the crisps that delegates were munching away all through were made from Nansana and not Najeera.So,for us,SUMZ products that made headlines and rounds at the DISCON,was our award.To compound the matter further, the CEO Rtn.Dennis Ngabirano was recognized as a Major Donor .
Commeth the hour……………………………..
The Mwiri boys were fantastic on the opening day. Smartly dressed in their white uniform . Their vocals that poured out the anthems at the opening ceremony were angelic. I heard a senior Rotarian whisper to a colleague that had President Obote been around, he would have said, "That was a great performance. No wonder you’re from Mwiri”.
The Green Sheikh captured our attention with his command of the audience and presentation. Abdul Aziz bin Ali Al Nuaimi is a man of great integrity and fondly known around the world as the ‘Green Sheikh’.Educated in chemical and petroleum engineering, with an MA in environmental management, and a PhD in clean production and industrial ecosystems, his message tilted around radically reforming education and respect for the environment .
The “Rotary band” was exquisite on the opening night. Crafting oldies that swayed the crowd away. In my observation ,to become a member, you should be a senior lawyer, a judge ,senior engineer ,a doctor. It was just beautiful watching these high profile gentlemen ,reminisce their passion for musical instruments. Ham Mulira and friends were tick.
On day two, after a worthy learning visit to Kiira Motors exhausted most delagates,there was no better way to wind the night than have the legends of sound. 78 year old Moses Matovu and Afrigo band were electric. They never disappointed. If you didn’t dance to Afrigo that day,you may not find a better environment to do so.To crown off the moment,Papa Moi,as he is fondly known,was recognized by Rotary International Director Emmanuel Katongole and Governor Anne, as an honorary member of the Rotary Club of Kasubi.
But we weren’t done. The audience was still yearning for one more, the Teri Mubi ballad.Matovu,in his typical principled self declined to grant the offer.”We’re not playing any other song.We’re done here”, he retorted .Not even Katongole and Anne could convince the lead singer to change his mind.
After two nights of oldies and all, it was time for the youth at the Rotaract day ,and day 3 it was. A day themed in a shorts affair ,it was time for the Rotaractors to give the DISCON a youthful touch. They got hold of their day ,albeit a little unfortunate bias from some Rotarians, who kept away from the proceedings in protest that the Rotaractors’ programmes were too long, resorting to camping at the House of Friendship to enjoy the goodies from Uganda Breweries. Those that paid attention enjoyed the way District Rotaract Representative Semeo Ssebukulu moved his remarks, with authority,precision,purpose,his smartness catching the eye of many and his smile all embracing. A jewel for the future for sure.Over to you Nahabwe Abesage.
And into the youthful night we went, with tunes from Ava Peace(kukyakala na kubwa) and Nandor Love (kinawolovu) burying the oldies touch of the last two days.
The Magic Day
On the early morning of Day 4,after failing to make it to the morning DISCON session courtesy of “sins” committed at Cafe 49 the night before ,I tuned in to the Afro Mobile app of NBS TV and everything was live. Thanks to Rtn.Kin Kariisa and his NBS crew ,that went an extra mile to cover every inch of the event. The news of Rtn.Fabian Kasi getting the nod as District Governor Nominee Designate found me turning in my bed. Yet I listened in and followed.
So at about lunchtime, I got out together with my good friend Rtn.Kaweesi Lukyamuzi from RC Nsasa,and took a walk through the streets of Jinja.We then bumped into our old school time friend of Kitovu St.Henry’s Micheal Kasanya,who runs a crafts shop in Jinja.Of the things he had in his shop,he convinced us to buy magic wallets.We laughed it off at first,untill he gave a demonstration of how they work.We were mesmerized.So we finally cashed in and got our magic wallets.
Little did we know that later that evening, we would encounter a magician at the Governor’s Banquet as the main cast for entertainment.
Russell Fox “Magician Insane” was the man at the centre.He is Africa’s most inspirational; influential and insane Mentalist; Perceptionist and Illusionist. As a child Russell was born with an array of life challenges including Epilepsy, Asthma, Dyslexia, ADHD and a mild form of Tourettes.And as parent with an autistic child, I was eager and looking forward to cheering on someone who didn’t buy the idea of disability is inability.
To note that today, Russell Fox is a thriving business man and an Internationally Acclaimed Master in the art of Magic – Illusion – Perceptions and Mentalism who has been performing throughout South Africa and across the continents since 1999 was something to reckon with. As a versatile artist, his abilities propel his performances to many different aspects within the field.
However, majority of the audience at the Banquet were not moved by his magic, leading to having a rather unfortunate ending to the show. Could we have given him an earlier time to perform ?Should we have requested him to give us a few skits?I don’t know.I then turned to my friend Lukyamuzi and reminded him that we had procured some magic wallets and we would perform that magic in front of our friends just before we depart the hotel of residence the next day.
On to the Next………United for Good.
The Rotary Club of Kampala South was unsettled all evening. They just wanted to take over as soon as they could be allowed to. Led by Rtn.Charles Odaga ,our next DISCON chair,they finally got their chance immediately the chains of power changed hands from Anne Nkutu to Geoffrey Martin Kitakule,the incoming governor.
Kitakule’s well covered documentary was played ,and we all listened in to a man ,who has come from humble beginnings , topped the financial services world and still remains a “footsoldier”to push for the help of the less communities.
And as the night went on, it was time to say good bye to a good thing .
Henry Rugamba,the 100th DISCON chair is hands on .Charles Odaga has been around Rotary circles for a while and he is that man too. The passing over the baton for 101st DISCON in Entebbe looks to be
I thought Jinja would ask for water.In the end,as it turned out,I asked for more water. All thanks to Uganda Breweries and that night out spot, Cafe 49.
Hey,have you read through the DISCON Souvenir Magazine????
Well out.
