That’s not CHOGM’s theme!

SIR — Refer to your article “How prepared is Uganda for the CHOGM summit?” published on March 30. Ofwono Opondo writes in part: “It is not surprising therefore that the CHOGM theme this year, “Respecting Differences and Promoting Understanding” falls far below our expectations…

The Commonwealth is a neocolonial tool… the sh600b which Government is investing in CHOGM....”. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will be held in Kampala between November 23 and 25. The theme of the CHOGM 2007 is “Transforming Commonwealth Societies to Achieve Political, Economic and Human Development”.

The Commonwealth Secretary General, Don Mckinnon, in The New Vision of March 12, wrote: “… The Commonwealth is a family of (53) nations, freely and equally associated. It is a powerful force for peace and democratic stability. The Commonwealth fights poverty and injustice. It promotes human and economic development. ...”. The approved budget provision for CHOGM in the financial year 2006/07 is sh65b.

Todate, sh32.6b has been committed/disbursed to the various 17 sub-committees of the National Task Force, CHOGM 2007.

Kagole Kivumbi
Spokesman, National Task Force, CHOGM 2007