Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton arrives in Dar es Salaam from Rwanda on Saturday ready for a relay in the country, before being presented to President Jakaya Kikwete at the State House on Sunday.
The Queen inserting her message into the baton during a ceremony held at Buckingham Palace, London, England, on October 9 2013, to launch the journey of the baton across the Commonwealth.
The Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC) Executive Committee member Suleiman Jabir told journalists that all is set to welcome the Queen’s baton relay which is the symbol of commencing the preparations of Commonwealth Games, scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland.
“The baton will arrive today at 2.00 pm ready for the relay in the country which will take place tomorrow and later it will be presented to the president at the State House,” he said.
Jabir further said that Minister for Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, Fenella Mukangara is scheduled to kick off the relay from 2pm at the National Stadium, before handing over the baton to the British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Dianna Patricia Melrose to race.
It will later proceed to the State House, where it will be presented to President Kikwete. He said over 300 people are expected to be involved in the 12.4 kilometres race and among them are former Commonwealth and Olympians elites such as Gidamis Shahanga, Juma Ikangaa, Samson Ramadhan, Michael Yombayomba, Fabian Joseph, Zakaria Barrie and Hassan Matumla. This year, the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, the Commonwealth Games Federation and UNICEF have launched a ground-breaking partnership globally.
In Tanzania, the event represents a unique opportunity for the TOC, the British High Commission, UNICEF and other partners to harness the power of sport to help children healthy, happy and safe. The Queen’s Baton relay in Tanzania will be themed around the slogan: “Stop Violence Against Children, Let Them Play.”
Speaking ahead of the relay, British High Commissioner to Tanzania, Dianna Melrose said the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is teaming up with UNICEF to transform children’s lives across the Commonwealth.
She said it’s the first time a charity affiliation to the Games has taken place and she expressed her delight that United Kingdom is supporting the excellent cause as violence against children is a worrying issue and must be stopped.
On his side, TOC Secretary General, Filbert Bayi said the aim is to use the event as a catalyst to create awareness and better understanding of the issue of violence against children amongst a more general audience in Tanzania.
UNICEF Representative in Tanzania, Jama Gulaid urged the public to participate and support the relay runners as they pass through the streets of Dar es Salaam. Gulaid said ahead of tomorrow’s relay, the Queen’s Baton will visit the Children’s Cancer Ward at Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH).
The Baton will be taken to Zanzibar on Monday and this will be the second time the Queen’s Baton Relay has visited the island. It will be relayed through the streets of Forodhani, Stone Town, Mji Mkongwe before being presented to Zanzibar President Ali Mohamed Shein at the State House and later return to Dar es Salaam ready for the journey to Seychelles.
Tanzania is the 29th stop for the Queen’s Baton relay on its route through 70 Commonwealth countries and territories, covering over 190,000 kilometres. The relay were launched on October 9th last year at the Buckingham Palace in London, with the international route starting in India the following day.
Prior to arriving in Tanzania, the Baton has visited Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda. The Commonwealth Baton will reach England on May 31 for its final lap to Glasgow and the opening ceremony of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games on 23rd July.
By BETRAM LENGAMA, Tanzania Daily News