Dr Mayega emerges from the shadows to shine in Rotary

Dr Florence Nakayiwa Mayega was on June 17, 2023, installed as the new president of the Rotary Club Kampala Early Bird at Aquarius Resort, Kigo.

She replaces Maurice Taremwa who has been at the helm of the club for the past year. Speaking to The Observer, Mrs Mayega said Rotary means different things to many people. “To me, Rotary means an opportunity to improve the person that I am in so many ways,”.

She joined Rotary in 2020, shortly before the Covid-19 lockdowns, this makes her a charter member of the Rotary Club of Kampala Early Bird because it was founded in 2020.

Her sponsor to Early Bird was Fredrick Matyama, charter president of the Rotary Club of Lubaga Lake View, who gave her the merits and demerits of a Monday 7 am Club. This was not her first attempt at Rotary, some time back, she tried to join the Rotary Club of Makerere but later she cooled down.

HER VISION

Dr Mayega sees herself as a spoke in this turning wheel of the Rotary Club of Kampala Early Bird. With one spoke, the wheel will probably collapse, but with many of these, it is likely to journey several kilometers.

“Rotary has been a journey of self-discovery; I was not known for being that patient and accommodating, but I find myself embracing and identifying the good in every single person and that one by one we can make a bundle. You cannot give what you do not have; in a sense, I appreciate the needs of others,” she said.

She said being president, although daunting, is part of her Rotary journey. It is facilitated by different people, exposures, and experiences.

I am building on the legacy that has been part of the Early Bird, the Charter President Eng Godfrey Kaaya, the Change Maker President Jennifer Mirembe Sensuwa who took the mantle of the club and increased its visibility, and President Maurice Taremwa who has enabled the club to thrive.

FIRST ASSIGNMENT

Mrs Mayega said they will continue with the three communities of Lubya, Lukumbi, and the Kyanja Tripartite. In Lubya, they will further explore partnerships with the National Water and Sewerage Corporation to install the second water ATM and ensure that the communities have sustainable access to clean water.

“We have taken the initial steps in Lukumbi, but I believe that we can do more so that our presence is fully felt,” she said.

As a collaborative with partner clubs, she said the tripartite at the Kyanja Health Centre has special significance to Rotary Club Kampala Early Bird not only for maternal and child health but also to the overall health and disease prevention focus area.

“We shall continue to work with the communities and other partners to bring quality services closer to the most vulnerable. I am confident that we shall maximally exploit the theme this year to utilize our individual and collective capacities to create hope for RC Kampala Early Bird members, the Rotary fraternity, and communities alike,” she said.

MEMBERSHIP

“I am looking for avenues and opportunities to strengthen the membership fabric and Kampala Early Bird. How do we recruit members and retain those already committed? One tact is to ensure engagement in the different club activities. To this end, we have made a preliminary allocation of members to the different committees of the club,” she said.

FAMILY OF ROTARY

Dr Mayega said they will undertake at least two-member satisfaction surveys that will give them ample information on the appropriate direction in that area. She said they explore activities that not only bind them more but care for their well-being as individuals in the Rotary Club of Kampala Early Bird.

“My appeal is that we can make inroads into hospitality at home and other individual spaces to have a closer appreciation of what makes people tick,” she said.

PUBLIC RELATIONS

“We have been given the assignment to coordinate the opening ceremony of the 99th District Conference expected to take place in Speke Resort Munyonyo. This is where we stand on the shoulders of the giants to deliver a stellar function,” she added.

She appealed to members of the RC Kampala Early Bird that together they stand and that is their ship.

“I am the captain for this year; everyone else is part of the crew and we have to ensure smooth sailing and steer it out of potential turbulence, so that it can safely dock, in preparation for the next journey with another captain,” she said.

Mrs Mayega is the deputy executive Secretary at the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM); a network of 163 universities in 40 countries in Africa with its secretariat hosted by Makerere University.

She sits on several boards including the Youth After-School Initiative, Advancement of the Higher Education Initiative and Ubuntu Net that supplies internet to universities across Africa.

She has worked at Makerere University where she rose through the ranks from economist to senior economist. She was the director of Planning and Development before joining RUFORUM.

She has a master’s degree in economic policy management from Makerere University and a doctorate from the University of Bath, United Kingdom. She is married to Ambassador Henry Mayega. They have three biological children and a son-in-law.