2022 Commonwealth Games: Deputy Speaker Among receives Queen’s baton

MPs were on Thursday left excited as the Deputy Speaker of Parliament Anita Among received the iconic baton carrying the Queen's message through Commonwealth territories and nations ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Speaking after receiving the baton from the National Council of Sports chairperson Donald Rukare, Deputy Speaker Among described it as an honour and momentous occasion  for the legislature and country at large

“As a country, we are honored to welcome the Queen's relay baton to the Pearl of Africa; without doubt, the most beautiful country in the whole World. It is an exciting moment for the legislature and the country at large to receive this baton that carries a message from Her Majesty the Queen of England that will be read before the opening of the Commonwealth Games in 2022,” Among said.

Uganda is among the 72 nations of the Commonwealth across Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania, the Caribbean and America that will receive the baton ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The baton that is moved to all nations of the Commonwealth contains the Queen’s message and is read aloud at the opening ceremony of the games.

According to the deputy speaker, the games offer yet another opportunity for Commonwealth countries to come together.

“The Commonwealth Games offer an opportunity for friendly rivalry and friendship that breaks the cultural and geographical boundaries, a great opportunity to create a better world for us all,” she said.

“This gives us an opportunity to reflect on our individual duties in realizing the global village, a world where different cultures can find a rallying point. As Parliament, we shall be doing all we can to support and send a winning team to Birmingham and we are clearing space to keep the trophies.”

The Queen’s baton is also set to move to State House, Equator , Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary and the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe before it heads to neighbouring Rwanda.