The Commonwealth Queen’s Baton was received with unprecedented warmth and excitement in the town of Nyanza in southern Rwanda. The flurry of activity started in Musanze in northern Rwanda. The enthusiastic welcome was a measure of things to come.
It was then taken to Nyanza at the former King’s Palace Museum, where several Rwandans donning traditional attire roamed hoping to be the first to catch a glimpse of the Baton as soon as possible. Rwandans in the south came in droves to have a glimpse of the Baton. The room at Nyanza was overwhelmed by numbers.
The wild cheers brought some lively activity to the high end national museum. During the series of engagements, the Olympic leader informed audiences of the significance of the Baton. The message crystallized around preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth games in Glasgow. They stood for hours, sat and peeped.
“I am so humbled and honored to be part of this prestigious event, I can’t believe I was among the few chosen ones to hold the Queens Baton and move with it up to the Kings Palace Museums. I love preserving our Rwandan culture and was happy to be part of a preserved culture from the queen,
” Judith Nyinawumwami, a farmer in Nyanza who carried the Baton to the King’s Palace Museum said as she handed it over the baton. The woman handed over the Baton to the director for Research and Publications Jerome Karangwa who received and welcomed the delegation to the museum.
The Queen’s Baton arrived at the King’s Palace Museum on Thursday afternoon at around 12:50 pm from Musanze, in northern Rwanda. Several museum officials carried the Baton as they took the delegates around showing them the replica of the traditional Kings Palace. They told them the History of former Rwanda’s King Rudahigwa as well as other king’s ways of life.
The visitors were also shown the Rwandan traditional cows locally called “Inyambo” better known for their impressive long horns, and traditional poems.
Kenya National Olympic Chairman, Kipchoge Keino, who is heading the Queen’s Baton delegation in Africa, said the Baton strengthens cooperation between Commonwealth countries and regions, and also acts as a wake-up call for countries to prepare their teams for the upcoming Commonwealth games in Glasgow.
The Queen’s Baton, he said, is a reminder to Commonwealth countries and regions that the games are starting and that they should prepare their teams. He revealed that the Baton carried a message from the Queen, which will be read at the launch of Olympic Games, and it will make the first ever longest relay for 288 days, 190.000 miles through 70 countries.
Rwanda National Olympic Committee president Robert Bayigamba also stressed the significance of the Baton in building partnership with the Commonwealth countries and regions and especially building the sporting spirit in Rwanda in various disciplines. The Commonwealth links 53 countries and regions and Rwanda obtained the membership on November 29th, 2009.
“We feel proud of being part of the Commonwealth and it’s an honor for Rwanda and its future relationship, friendship with the Commonwealth,” Bayigamba said. According to him, this is evidence that Rwanda has been officially accepted to take part in the Commonwealth Games and also an additional opportunity for the country’s athletes.
Like residents, Abdallah Murenzi the mayor Nyaza district could not hide his excitement either. It is a big honor, he pointed out, for Nyanza to be among the three selected cities in Rwanda to receive the Queen’s Baton.
“Opening our doors to the Commonwealth countries and regions is a big opportunity for Rwanda and my district to market what we have in terms of our heritage and culture hence promoting tourism,” Gabriel Kayonga, the director of museum management unit said.
He said it was befitting experience for the Queens Baton to be taken in one of the museums because of its common history and would also market Rwandan culture abroad. Kayonga said holding the Baton was a humbling experience for him since it is not every day that one holds something from the Queen.
The Queen’s Baton Relay is a much loved tradition of the Commonwealth Games and symbolizes the coming together of all Commonwealth nations and territories in preparation for the four- yearly festival of sport and culture.
The Baton headed to Tanzania on Saturday after winding up its three-day relay in Rwanda. It had arrived in the country on Wednesday from Uganda.
In Rwanda, it was received by the Rwanda National Olympic and Sports Committee chairman, Bayigamba.It went on the tour of the country in Musanze, Northern Rwanda and Nyanza in the South on Thursday, before returning to Kigali for a tour of the city on Friday.
Winding up its relay in Rwanda, the Baton was taken to Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre, then to Rwandex via downtown Kigali on the way to Kimisagara Youth Sports Centre, before being taken to Amahoro national stadium in Remera via the KBC round-about in Kimihurura. The tour concluded with a cocktail at the Kigali Serena Hotel Friday evening.
Rwanda was the 26th stop of the Baton’s 71 Commonwealth destinations. As part of its epic journey, the Baton will head to Asia, Oceania, Africa, South Americas, the Caribbean, North Americas and Europe. The Baton is expected to complete the global journey in Scotland ahead of the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games due to kick off in July.
