Rotary Cancer Run paints Kampala blue

Rotary Cancer Run paints Kampala blue

Former Tanzania President, Ali Hassan Mwinyi flags off the cancer run

Former Tanzania President, Ali Hassan Mwinyi flags off the cancer run

Former Tanzania President, Ali Hassan Mwinyi flags off the cancer run

By Hannington Sebuliba
It has become an annual event in Uganda for Rotarians and friends to converge at Kololo Independence Grounds for the Rotary Cancer Marathon.

Last Sunday, the whole City of Kampala was painted blue, courtsey of the Uganda Rotary Cancer Run Season 3. The run drew Rotarians and people from all walks of life, young and old. All running for a good cause to ensure that the Rotary Cancer Ward at St. Francis’ Hospital Nsambya is completed.
The chief runner happened to be the  88 year retired President of the United Republic of Tanzania, H.E. Ali Hassan Mwinyi and his wife. He was flanked by the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Rtn. Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi, the minister of Health Hon. Sarah Opendi and the District Governor Harrish.
Over 300 million shillings was raised to complete the cancer ward project.

Cancer Run

The young and old were mesmerized at how President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, ran the five kilometer race.
President Mwinyi called upon the people of the East African Region to promote and continue using swahilli language since it unites them as people of the same destiny.
The Chairman of the Uganda Rotary Cancer Ward Project, PDG Stephen Mwanje told runners that the target of 300m shillings had been met and was sure that in January 2015, the ward will be officially opened to the public.

He revealed that the friends if the Chief runner, a group of 50 individuals had collected 100m shillings.
On behalf of the friends of the Chief runner, President Ali Hassan Mwinyi handed over a 100m cheque to the organisers to see that the ward is totally completed.
Thank you all for attending and participating in the 3rd cancer run.

This year’s run was made possible by Centenary Bank, Crown Beverages Limited, Bank of Uganda and Uganda Rotary Cancer Program.

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Teaming Up Rotary Means Going Up

By President Grace Ssentongo
Since my installations as your President of the Club, we had not as a Club published a single Bricks!  A lot has transpired and great Events happened that were unreported – which we as a Team regret. Now is the time to revive and get into action.

Members of the Rotary Club of Kajjansi in a group photo
before the Marathon

Just as the Membership Month was rolling up and closing, PDG Tusu reminded us in the Fellowship of 27th August 2014 that we needed to team up as a Club and effectively sustain those Members that we have and also seek for practical and better ways to solicit for added quality membership that would bring in new innovation in the Club. He urged us to be around, get involved and cause practical change in all our areas of Focus. The Questions he left to us were: ‘At what level are you and me in your Club? How do you get involved in the Projects? How many new Members have you and I brought in the Club? If a non Rotarian tasked you and me why we joined Rotary what would you answer? Finally he also challenged all of us on how much do we contribute [both in cash, service and time] to Rotary?

Members of the Rotary Club of Kajjansi and Rotaractors
 pose for a group photo before the Marathon

September is the Youth Service Month. As a Club, let us link up with the Youth Groups that we supervise. Let us not think only in big things only but we can also do those that may not require much money. If we are currently 34 Members and segregated into our known Buddy Group, let each of the Buddy Group identify one Activity which they have to do for the Youth Groups – at Mazolidi, at New High Tech, Kitende SSS, Kisubi High and any other. Plan as a Buddy Group and carry out your innovations without much involvement of the other Buddy Group. During the Last Fellowship of the Month [ i.e. 24th September 2104], each Buddy Group shall be provided with an opportunity to report back and the Winning Buddy Group will be presented with a Presidential Trophy for Buddy Group Innovativeness. The Presentation of the Trophy will be in the first fellowship of October [1st].Do not miss this opportunity of Lighting Up Rotary in the Club.

Lighting up Rotary therefore, will require you and me to be a ‘Tadooba’ – to be visible even when you are very far; to illuminate others when they may seem to be at the side where there in so light and above all calling for your own involvement and innovativeness.

The Brick January 2014

DG Carolyn fellowships with Rotary Club of Kajjansi

The fellowship on 11th  December was graced by the presence of District Governor Carolyn and Rtn. Barbara from District 7780.

Exchanging  club banners

The president of the Rotary Club of Kajjansi Charles Magala thanked those who contributed items for the car boot sale that was held on 7th and 8th December at Uganda Clays Kajjansi grounds. He also thanked those who participated in the selling and organising the event.


He welcomed the visiting rotarians from District 7780 led by the District Governor Carolyn and Rtn. Barbara. President Charles appreciated all those rotarians that enabled the visiting Governor to enjoy her stay in Uganda.

The Magalas celebrate their 25 years of marriage

Group photo of Rotarians of Kajjansi

In her own words, Rtn Carolyn said " I appreciate your hospitality and honour to be here" she went on to say that this week had been a special one since she had made new friends in the broader family of rotary. " I have my family of rotary in my club, District and you here. Thank you so much for your fellowship and fun" She thanked PAG Charles Kulibanza Byanyima for taking them around and up to Lake Mburo National Park where they saw different wild animals.

President Charles presides over the fellowship

She went on to thank PPPP Taremwa for taking them to Ndere centre on Sunday to enjoy Uganda's rich cultural heritage. She also thanked PP Enid for taking them out for Ugandan coffee. She finally thanked President Charles for taking them to Rtn Jones' home for a home hospitality which they enjoyed.

PPPP Taremwa recieves chocolates from DG Carolyn

On her part, Rtn Barbara was happy to be in Uganda for the first time and  said that she was happy to have seen a leopard for the first time in her lifetime.


During the fellowship, the Buddy group brought a guest speaker from Orient Bank by the names Tracy Carol Nabbona to talk to the club about Investment clubs.

Ms. Carol Tracey talks about investment clubs

In her presentation, Carol said that investment clubs are groups of people who come together with an investment mind and pull funds together. She said that these clubs help people to pull resources together to carry out some investments, they can network and get to know each other.

The fellowship was crowned with the Magala's cutting a cake, to celebrate 20 years of marriage.

President Charles recieves a cheque of 1000 USD from DG Carolyn Johnson on behalf of DG Emmanuel Katongole

The club was blessed to receive a cheque worth USD 1000 from you and a cash donation of USD 500 from DG Carolyn Johnson in support of the primary school project implemented by RC Kajjansi in Bweya-Katwe.

The Brick

The Brick 24th July 2013

Meet Rtn. ‘Picasa’

By Hannington Sebuliba
When Rtn. Charles Baganja  invited me to come to Dreams Guest House to give a talk on newspapaer production, little did I know that it was my first step to becoming a member of this great Club.

The year was 2006, and the president then was Kibirango. I happened to give a moving talk and after that talk I was Invited to joing the Rotary Club of Kajjansi. Rtn. Baganja told me that this club lacked someone of my profession. I couldn’t figure out how a broke person like me would be useful to Rotary.

All along I had the belief that Rotary was a club for the rich who had money to waste on constructing bus shelters and giving water tanks to schools.

A year later I decided to start attending the Wednesday fellowships at Dreams Guest House. Rtn. Joyce Magala requested me to assist her on the Brick bulletin. By then it was so small that it used to be like a brochure. I later on ventured into producing it on 4 pages of A5. It started as a black and white bulletin, but later on we turned to colour.

For the three years I have been in Rotary, I have been able to capture most of the events through the lens of the camera. It is not always easy to take those moments in history because all the time you have to find a vantage point to take that photo that will  tell a story for generations to come.

I have taken a number of shots every time we visited our pojects and even during fellowships. These photos have not remained on my computer but I have shared them online, on ou picasa web album, our blog and even in our weekly bulletin the Brick.

I focus more on capturing moments and the little details that might otherwise go unnoticed. I am more concerned with making images that tell the story of the  event.

When I was invited to join Rotary, I was told that my services would be much in needed in the club. I first wondered how this would benefit the Club since I’m no longer an active journalist  but I sat down and thought about my contribution to the club. I finally discovered that I would be of help in designing the brick bulletin and also taking photos of the club events.

In my first year, I was shocked to be named the Rotarian of the Year 2010/11 because of the works I had done for promoting our club on picasa, web blog, Youtube and even the Brick Bulletin.

My job was to ensure that every bulletin that came out had a photo that was an action photo and very relevant to the stories in that bulletin.

It was at this time that I decided to open a picasa web album for the Rotary Club of Kajjansi, because our achives were lacking very important pictures. This is how I got the name picasa.

I worked with all my heart, serving above self and managed to take the club beyond Kajjansi on the worldwide web.
In the Rotary year 2010/11, I was awarded the Rotarian of the year award by Presido John Mary Luberenga.

I have been able to take a number of photos for the club service projects and posted them on the internet. The  only unfortunate bit is that I am in very few pictures of the club activities.

PAG Bob Waggwa Nsibirwa Inducts Rtn. Hannington

I can proudly say that during my tenure of office as Bulletin officer and as Public Relations Director, I have been able to create a web blog for the club, posted a number of youtube videos on the net, written articles and taken thousands of photos for the club activities. I have also been invited to a number of Rotary Clubs to give  a talk simply because of the visibility of the Rotary Club of Kajjansi. Lastly I was able to re-brand the Rotary Club of Kajjansi by re-designing the club logo to give it  a new look.

 I don’t think I would manage all these on my own but due to the team spirit and encouragement given to me by the rest of the members. I want to thank PP Karoli for fishing me, my mentor Rtn. Rev. Grace Ssentongo, past presidents, and most of all PP Peace Taremwa who offered to pay for my District and International fees for this past year. May the Almighty reward you so much.

To the rest of the members I thank you for the encouragement.

JJONGOZA RCC ELECTIONS AND  HANDOVER

By PAG Charles Kulibanza Byanyima

The Jjongoza RCC was Chartered in 2008.The main architect behind its formation was Rtn Dr  Rev  Fr Aloysius  Lwanga Bukenya. The maiden and first Chairperson of the RCC was Mrs Specioza Lusiba popularly known as “SENGA”.

Since that time other two persons have held the office of Chair Person namely Mr James Mulindwa and Mrs Prossy Bbale.The first Coordinator of the RCC was Rtn Fr Aloysius Bukenya,who was subsequently succeeded by Rtn  Charles Kulibanza Byanyima who still plays that role to this date.

Every year, just like the  norms and ideals of Rotary , the RCC is expected to change leadership and its view of this requirement that three Rotarians travelled on 10th July 2013 to Jjongoza to supervise the elections.The three Rotarians are: Rtn Ismael Mukasa-Director Projects (who had to break his fast in order to drive the team to Jjongoza),Rtn AG Charles Karoli Baganja(Past RCC Chair –Uganda) and Rtn PAG DT Charles Kulibabnza Byanyima, the Coordinator and Team Leader.

The team joined Rtn Dr Fr Aloysuis Lwanga Bukenya from RC Karen D9212, who had been in Jjongoza some days earlier  to prepare the Community and help them reconcile socially for the betterment of the RCC.

The team, on arrival, was treated to the  ever enchanting Jjongoza hospitality of music ,dance and drama despite the hot and dusty day.

After observing the normal Rotary protocols ( which included the singing of “Ekitiibwa Kya’Buganda” and the best singer being recognized as PAG Charles!) the team explained to the RCC Members ,the purpose of the visit, which was the holding of elections and the hand over of offices.

The RCC Members were taken through the Guidelines of RCC and the following Broad topics were covered:
i. Purpose and Goals
ii. Sponsorship
iii. Membership
iv. Meetings
v. Leadership
vi. Activities and Projects
vii. Committees
viii. Leadership
ix. Fees and Dues

Prior to holding the elections the following were agreed on by all the members:
- To have a secret ballot for all positions.
- Have a maximum of 3 Nominations for each post
-Candidates briefly talk about themselves
-Votes be counted ,tallied and the Winner be instantly declared
-The Candidate with the simple majority of the cast votes would be declared winner
-Winner congratulates the Losers
Prior to the Election Exercise, all voting members were verified and ascertained to be eligible to vote. ie they were all good members in good standing. The total voters were 44.
The elections were conducted in a free , fair and level environment and the following were elected:
1. Chairperson : Kalyango Agnes Namwanga
2. Vice Chairperson:Bagonza Aloysius
3. Secretary: Lwanga Felix
4. Treasurer : Namagembe Resty
5. Projects : Bbale Joseph
6. Membership : Nayiga Polly Bbale
7. Publicity: Kivumbi Fred
The Coordinator will be elected from among the above Executive Committee when they hold the first  meeting.

The following Committees were also constituted:
1. Finance Committee to be headed by the Treasurer, Namagembe Resty
2. Projects Committee to be headed by Joseph Bbale
3. Membership Committee to be headed by Nayiga Polly Bbale
4. Publicity Committee to be headed by Kivumbi Fred.

The outgoing Chairperson,Nayiga Polly Bbale read her handover speech and presented to team hard copies for the Club files. She highlighted the need for respect among each other, respect of authority and making  friends beyong Jjongoza.She,among others, pointed out that during   her tenure of office  the membership had increased by 20 members. The handover of documents/files  between the Old and New Executive  will take place at the first meeting of the New Executive.

The  New Executive were given a pep  talk on Leadership and how they are expected to lead their fellow members. The Charter Certificate of the RCC was formally handover to the New Chairperson.
On the return journey the team used the time to reflect on  the visit and noted the following:
-RCC needs our presence  as stipulated in the RCC/RI Guide lines that is at least once a month
-Supervision to ensure that the RCC operates as is expected is important
-Cliquism though minimized can still crop back
-As per RCC Guide Lines,Fr Bukenya needs to formally request the RC Kajjansi to own and supervise the Springs of Peace Project that is worth USD 20,000
-The hospitality exhibited by the RCC could be of financial strain  in the future.

The team retuned back to base at Dreams Guest House to catch the  second half of an interesting fellowship.They were adequately recognized and rewared with  a drink by the President