Commonwealth unites its people through food

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland. Photo/File

The Commonwealth has launched "the international Commonwealth Big Lunch" which is meant to encourage its people to celebrate their Commonwealth connections through food.  

With more than 2.4 billion citizens, spanning 53 countries including Uganda and six continents, the Commonwealth Big Lunches will provide a unique opportunity for people to unite over their shared Commonwealth links.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland launched the initiative in Nadi, Fiji, according to news posted yesterday.

The initiative builds on the Eden Project's annual Big Lunch, which was launched in the UK in 2009 as a way to connect people with their communities over a shared meal.  This year the UK government is adapting the idea to the Commonwealth ahead of April's heads of government meeting in London. 

Commonwealth Big Lunches will encourage people to celebrate their Commonwealth connections through food.  The UK Summit team hopes that every Commonwealth country will host at least one lunch before the heads meet.

Scotland said the UK launch of the Commonwealth Big Lunch will take place on Commonwealth Day, 12 March.

Meanwhile, a Ugandan retired diplomat, Harold Acemah has been selected among the Commonwealth team of observers for Sierra Leone general elections scheduled for March 7, 2018.

 The 15-member Group will be led by John Dramani Mahama, former President of Ghana. The Group is comprised of 14 eminent persons drawn from across the different regions of the Commonwealth, including Africa, Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

The Group's mandate is to observe the electoral process and consider the factors that could impinge on the credibility of the electoral process as a whole. This includes observing the pre-election environment, polling day, the count, and post-election period.

The group will submit their final report to the Commonwealth Secretary-General, who will in turn send it to the Government of Sierra Leone, the National Electoral Commission, political parties and eventually to all Commonwealth governments. Thereafter it will be made public.

Incumbent President Ernest Bai Koroma has served the maximum term of 10 years since coming into office in 2007.

To be elected president of Sierra Leone, a candidate must gain at least 55% of the vote. If no candidate gets this, there is a second-round runoff election between the top two candidates.