The 35th President of the Lions Club of Kabale, Ms Gloria Katembeka, has pledged to prioritize fighting hunger, protecting the environment through tree-planting initiatives, and supporting the sick and vulnerable during her tenure in office.
Ms Katembeka made the commitment while officially accepting the presidency during her installation ceremony held at White Horse Inn in Kabale Municipality over the weekend. She succeeds Mr Mucunguzi Levic Kagoro.
Speaking shortly after taking office, Ms Katembeka said her leadership will be guided by the Lions Club motto, “We Serve,” with a strong emphasis on improving the welfare of vulnerable communities across Kabale District and the greater Kigezi region.
“As Lions, we say ‘We Serve,’ and as the 35th President, I am committed to serving humanity and supporting those who are less fortunate in our communities,” Ms Katembeka said.
She said her administration would intensify efforts to reduce hunger, promote environmental conservation through tree planting, and regularly visit and support the sick.
“We shall focus on fighting hunger, caring for our environment by planting more trees, and visiting the sick because these are areas where we can make a real difference in people’s lives,” she added.
Ms Katembeka appealed to fellow Lions members, government leaders, institutions and community groups to work together in addressing social challenges.
“I may not do much alone, but by working together with all of you, we shall make our society better and support those who are less fortunate than we are,” she said.
The guest of honour, Ndorwa West County Member of Parliament, Hon. Eliab Naturinda Mporera, called on leaders and citizens to embrace collective responsibility in transforming Kigezi and contributing to Uganda’s economic growth.
“For Kigezi and Kabale to move forward, we must work together, especially as Uganda seeks to grow its economy from about USD 60 billion today to USD 500 billion over the next 15 years. Achieving this vision will require hard work, innovation and commitment from everyone,” Mporera said.
He said every citizen has a role to play in national development, regardless of their profession, and praised the involvement of faith-based institutions in promoting moral leadership and social transformation.
“This dream of transformation calls on each one of us to play our part, whether in business, academia, politics or any other field. I am particularly pleased that the Church has been brought on board because it has a vital role in inspiring moral leadership and social transformation,” he said.
Mporera urged leaders to focus on leaving a lasting legacy through service and integrity, quoting reggae legend Bob Marley to emphasize the importance of positively impacting others.
“The greatness of a person is not in how much wealth they have acquired, but in their ability to positively affect those around them. We should all strive to leave a legacy of integrity, service and transformation for future generations,” he said.
