Opening Presidential Address – Rotaract Year 2011 / 2012…

Installation Speech to Rotaract Clubs of Milimani and Westlands Masinga Dam Resort on Saturday, 30^th July, 2011…

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The District Rotaract Representative, Abraham Wachenje; IDRR Malcom  Tumwizo; the presidents or their representatives of Rotaract Clubs of Kampala the Core, Nairobi Central, Kampala City, Nairobi East, USIU and Muthaiga; past Presidents, members of the mentioned clubs and those of the two host clubs; Milimani and Westlands and guests, it is exciting to see all of you tonight on this important occasion on the Rotary and Rotaract Calendar.

I am therefore greatly honored to stand before you on this special occasion tonight.

Let me start by asking all of you to join me in congratulating my brother Ozem Muriuki, now president of the Rotaract Club of Milimani. Congratulations on taking up the challenge of leadership that has been bestowed upon you. Such an opportunity is a rare honour.  A rare honour because it confirms your club’s faith in your capacity to lead and as such you will now on symbolize and carry their hopes and aspirations.

I am where I stand, with the confidence & hope I do, because of the tireless and careful efforts of the outgoing leadership. We will be mistaken if we do not applaud Anne Karimi, immediate past President of Milimani, and Eric Manon of Westlands – and all those who gave them support to lead us this far. We salute both of you for the incredible achievements this past year, and for steering these clubs to remarkable success. As you formally leave office today, you do so with pride and honour.

Anne, it was during your tenure, when the Link Conference on leadership for the youth was held; and it was during the same term that the successful summer games took place at Sagana. It was under your leadership Eric that the Rotaract club of Westlands, in collaboration with Safaricom Foundation, connected the Fairmille School`s waste Disposal line to that of Nairobi City Council. That project was an investment in both public and environmental health. At the same time, you made true the dreams of the powerless. You presided over the efforts that paid school fees for a needy student, Thaddeus Ochieng of Highway Secondary School. Let me say here today that we shall continue to support this student until he completes form four. In a few words, you both have left us admirable legacies that we shall remember and cherish.

I will work hard to forge ahead with the mandate that you have given me today. I shall build on and sustain the energetic momentum we have now. And as we do so, we shall seek to go a notch higher for the sake of realizing the noble mission and goal of both clubs.

Rotaract clubs cannot be and will not be without those who give them life. And those are the most important assets of these two clubs. Without this important resource, we cannot boast of our achievements. That asset is our membership. I salute our members for being Rotaractors; you are Rotaract; we together are Rotaract. Most of all, to you members, I am humbled that you have found it fit to give me the opportunity to serve and lead with you. I look forward to your support during the challenges we have ahead. I will never let you down and will work hard to make you proud.

I know the board has worked so hard with dedication and commitment in guiding these clubs along. You have nurtured and walked the path of leadership with us. You form the cornerstone of ensuring that the forward wheel of progress of these clubs keeps turning. Hand in hand with you, we shall make this Rotary year one of the best.

As we embark on this Rotary year, let us remain alive to this year`s theme of “reach within to embrace humanity.” That philosophy will be critical as we seek to achieve our mandates. In his speech this January, the Rotary International President, Kalyan Banerjee, said at the Presidents reception in San Diego, California that, “In order to achieve anything in this world, a person has to use all the resources he can draw on. And the only place to start is with ourselves and within ourselves.”

I would like to reiterate his counsel: we must continue to reach within ourselves in order to exploit our potential and in order to grow. We must reach into ourselves to appreciate the resources we are in order to help the society, to serve the community around us.

Ozem and I are just but firsts among equals. The more we work together, the more we can and will achieve the collective good. We must stick together for us all. We must do unite to learn from the challenges of the past and embrace those that lie ahead. It is by facing the challenges that we can see and seize opportunity to grow our clubs and build the strength for realizing a better good humanity.

In my club, we have been few but been able to achieve much. If we double this numbers, our potential will grow. In enhancing our professional acumen and leadership skills, we look forward to more guest speakers both internally and externally.

I do not doubt that we have the potential, energy and capacity to succeed ahead. As men and women of integrity, we will continue to fellowship passionately, carry and uphold the true spirit of “Service above Self and that of Rotaract of Fellowship through Service.”

The past is staring at us the present remains a challenge and the future bids us to press on forward to our ultimate destiny and that ultimate destiny my brothers and sisters is to make the world a better place.

In closing, ladies and gentlemen, it is with honour and deep gratitude that I today accept the position of Presidency of the Rotaract Club of Westlands.

Thank you and God bless you.

Ondari Mogeni,

President,

Rotaract Club of Westlands,

2011 – 2012.