Sudhir, Nepalese Community Stage Blood Drive To Honour Kabaka’s 71st Birthday

By Gad Masereka 

Businessman Dr Sudhir Ruparelia and members of Uganda’s Nepalese community on Sunday turned a royal birthday into an act of national service, joining thousands of Ugandans in a blood donation exercise at Acacia Mall in Kampala to mark the 71st birthday of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II.

The drive, organized under the Non-Resident Nepali Association, collected dozens of units of blood for the Nakasero Blood Bank and was framed as a direct response to the Kabaka’s repeated appeals for voluntary blood donation to support patients across Uganda’s overstretched health system.

Uganda faces a persistent blood shortage, with health authorities regularly appealing to citizens and the private sector to supplement national reserves. The Kabaka Birthday celebrations have increasingly become a focal point for health campaigns, and this year the Nepalese diaspora joined that tradition with visible commitment.

Samuel Davis Wante of the Nakasero Blood Bank welcomed the gesture, noting its particular significance for maternal and emergency healthcare. “This gesture is a powerful demonstration of unity and humanity. The Kabaka has always encouraged life-saving initiatives like blood donation, especially to protect mothers and children. We are grateful to the Nepalese community for stepping forward,” he said.

Sudhir, who serves as Nepal’s Honorary Consul in Uganda, praised the community’s strong turnout and put the donation in sharp context. “There is a real shortage of blood in the country, and every unit counts. We are proud that the Nepalese community has come together in large numbers to contribute to this noble cause,” he told journalists at the venue.

The Non-Resident Nepali Association has organised similar humanitarian exercises in Uganda before, and community leaders say the initiative reflects a broader commitment to contributing meaningfully to Ugandan public life beyond commerce and investment. In a season that celebrates the Kabaka’s legacy of service, Saturday’s drive offered a pointed reminder that solidarity sometimes flows most powerfully from the most unexpected quarters.