Rotary Club of Nairobi

Club News

Added on July-11-07

Handover Speech by President Diamond Lalji

Thursday, 5th July 2007 Grand Regency Hotel

Immediate Past President Diamond Lalji is presented with a gift
from the 2006-07 Board by immediate Vice President David Githanga.

Fellow Rotarians, friends and guests, today, I officially lay down my executive responsibilities as your President.

But first, I would like to start by saying something very simple. Thank you.

Thank you for a great year. Thank you for a year that I got to know all of you.

Thank you for a year that I got to know more about Rotary from a very practical and pragmatic way.

Thank you all for, giving me the extraordinary privilege of leading the Rotary Club of Nairobi for the past one year.

Thank you for the honour of being your president and the wonderful journey we have travelled together.

With your talents and dedication we have unquestionably lived the 2006-07 Rotary motto - Lead the Way.

Friends, the last one year has made me more certain than ever of the inner strengths of Rotary and Rotarians. We serve as a beacon for good ethics. A beacon of hope, to the less fortunate in society.

And special gratitude to the 2006-07 Board. I thank them, for the dedication and competence they have brought to the service of our club and Rotary. You have indeed led the way for Rotary.

And certainly, thank you to our supporters and sponsors who supported our various projects.

A very big thank you to my family for their immense support. Special gratitude to my wife Naseem for her constant encouragement. She has been the rock my strength for the past one year. Thank you Naseem.

Much appreciation to my son Shahid who successfully managed my business interests for the past one year. Thank you for holding court.

And of course to my daughter Shelina currently in the UK whose regular words of encouragement and support through emails and phone calls served as a much needed booster in my Rotary journey as President.

My appreciation too to the administrative backup that kept the Rotary wheels running. Thank you to my Assistant General Manager at Trident Insurance Mrs. Manju Naul, my secretaries Dorothy and Rachel and Kevin.

Last but not least on behalf of the club we wish to thank the General Manager of the Grand Regency Hotel Mr. Timothy Kagambi for their efficient support and wonderful hospitality. Timothy and his team served us well even at our whims.

When I sat down to reflect on my one year as the President of the Rotary Club of Nairobi I realized I look a lot older. That's what being the leader of the largest club in this part of the world does to you!

In coming President James, don't be scared! Anyway, I have also become wiser through close interactions with all of you.

My dear friends, my one year has left a lasting influence and a deep imprint in various aspects of my life which I will briefly share with you.

The 2006-07 Board was the driver of a car that is the Rotary Club of Nairobi while club members were the passengers who decided where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.

In short, we learnt consultation and engagement resulting in a fulfilling closeness with members.

Courtesy of our club's rich diversity, I have in different ways seen members live our core values of commitment, care, humility, friendliness, trustworthiness and responsiveness. Thank you.

And based on our common ideals and shared respect in Rotary, I have learnt how to be a better Rotarian.

Again, our vibrant multiculturalism ensures we all serve Rotary in different ways, but are united under a common platform of Service Above Self.

As we hand over to the new Board, the 2006-07 Board takes pride in our hard work which have not only benefited the entire club but also the society we serve through our shared efforts.

Friends, we take great pride in this and the results are clear for all to see. Certainly, the club has moved a notch higher, but it was you members who helped us make it a reality.

The 2006-07 Board hands over a confident and rejuvenated club. A club transformed by the joint and collective will of its proud members.

We have definitely lived our mission and implemented high impact service projects in education, health, with the youth and elsewhere while members enjoy each others fellowship.

Somebody asked me the other day how I feel about leaving and to paraphrase Ronald Regan who on his departure said "parting is such sweet sorrow."

And I will say it again parting is such sweet sorrow.

I have also been asked if I have any regrets. Well, I do. As in any large organization, I have had my fair share of challenges.

But these challenges have assisted in forging, a satisfying new closeness with all members, as it is not how much you do, but how much love you put in what you are doing.

Once more, it's been the honor of my life to be your president. So many of you have written to me in the past few weeks to say thanks for a great year. But I could say as much to you, as I am most grateful for the opportunity you gave me to serve you.

Fellow Rotarians, we must continue to work together to lessen and eliminate the problems of society whilst having great fellowship and fun.

In line with our vision we should remain the leading Rotary club in Kenya and the District where dynamic members enjoy bringing great benefit to their community.

In ending, my friends: We did it. We made a difference to the club and society. We made the club stronger.

We made the club vibrant and we have left it in good hands. President James Mwangi and the 2007-08 Board, we believe in you and you have our unconditional support.

My final words to President James Mwangi is that the Rotary Club of Nairobi is a castle of hope. A castle of hope not only for members but society.

As I mentioned a while ago, we are a beacon of hope James and in line with the 2007-08 motto 'Rotary Shares' please go ahead and share this wonderful fraternity to all and sundry.

Share the good deeds that Rotary has done and continue to do.

Again, fellow Rotarians and guests, from the bottom of my heart, I want to express to you the gratitude I feel.

Thank you and farewell. Good-bye, God bless all of you.

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