Queen’s baton due

By Norman KatendeFIRST deputy premier Eriya Kategeya will officially receive the queens relay baton, which arrives in the country tomorrow at 2:30p.m.Sports minister Henry Okello Oryem said this while releasing the final programme for the three days the baton will stay in Uganda at a press briefing at the ministry’s boardroom yesterday.The baton is to commemorate Britain’s Queen Elizabeth’s golden jubilee and raise awareness of the Manchester City Commonwealth Games.“We want to tell Uganda that come rain or shine, we will be there and they should come and support us,” said Okello.The baton will be carried from Entebbe to Kampala in a 500m-man relay, were MPs and prominent sports personalities will participate.It will go to the Kampala Mayor, Parliament Speaker before being received by President Museveni at State House for a night.The next day, the baton proceeds to Njeru and Jinja before it is returned to Kampala for a night.A street procession will follow the next day, which is aimed at boosting the morale of the Commonwealth Games athletes.The Commonwealth foreign cooperation has offered £2,000 (sh5m)to cover the relay expenses. Uganda government is expected to top up though.Uganda Olympic Committee (UOC) president, Major General Francis Nyangweso said that the money has been given by the Commonwealth foreign cooperation to help in covering some of the expenses.The baton is being escorted by Michael Fennell, chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF).Uganda is one of the seven African countries that the baton will go though.The 710mm and 1.69kg baton was released on March 11 by Queen Elizabeth in Buckingham Palace with an aim of calling the Commonwealth best to come together in a peaceful competition during the Manchester 2000 Games. BBC TV will cover the activities in Uganda.From Uganda, the baton will travel to Tanzania and South Africa.ends