Eunice Rukundo
18 November 2007
column
For some, it is a trend, others an era and a certain event they have heard about in passing. In fact for 15-year-old Robert who has been a house help in Kampala for two years, Chogm must be some big sports event, a motor rally or football match, to which a certain Queen is coming. Regardless of how Ugandans have perceived the forthcoming meeting, one thing is certain to everyone; the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) is no usual occurrence.
The public is as anxious as the government to see the event come to pass for different reasons depending on how they understand it. Everyone recognises Chogm; whether it is by spending time arguing about its benefits to this nation, complaining about it just being an inconvenience or appreciating the fact that Uganda is proud to host the event, we have all recognised the upcoming event. There are however people that have recognised Chogm in special ways, they have honoured the occasion the best way they thought possible.
Miss Chogm pageant
Prof. Richard Kasawuri, the same gentleman that organised the Miss OAU beauty pageant during the Organisation of African Union (now African Union) meeting that took place in Kampala in 1975, thought it fit to honour Chogm with a beauty queen. In collaboration with relevant embassies, Prof. Kasawuri organised a series of contests in search of a beauty that had enough brains to lead a process of empowering East Africans especially the female folk, promote women issues and help master the art of cooperation and sustain development in the region after the big meeting.
22 contestants were registered from allover East Africa including Rwanda and Burundi, which recently joined the East African federation. Never mind that some of the contestants like Rwanda's Paradis Winslet, a crowd favourite, didn't fully understand what Chogm was about or even express themselves in English yet the Commonwealth is supposed to celebrate the English culture.
The organisers were nevertheless able to find 23-year-old Betty Namaganda worthy of the Shs5m prize money, a visit to the mother country of the Common Wealth Nations (United Kingdom) and a chance of being a member of the committee that will welcome Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
According to the State Minister for Water and Environment, Maria Mutagamba who was the chief guest at the crowning ceremony of the beauty queen, the attention the pageant drew to the Chogm event was impressive. Prof. Kasawuri as the chief organiser for this event had done his bit for Chogm.
FK is ready for Chogm
Are you ready for Chogm? Well, Fred Kasolo, a Bugolobi resident, in Kampala is sure about his answer to this question and it is all written out in the national colours on his lockup in Bugolobi along Port Bell Road; "FK is ready for Chogm".
"He suggested we call our lockup that because Chogm is a big event and we are honoured as a nation to host it although we are a poor country," explains Naomi Kasolo with whom FK is ready for Chogm.
So why does this couple think Chogm is that important?
"We believe it is something good especially because developmental ideas will come out of this meeting. We can't have all those delegates coming here from those developed countries and don't benefit. It is that, that we are ready for and eagerly await with my husband," she says.
Like the expected change, the Kasolos hope their lockup can live on and do not intend to change the name. "We shall keep it that way in memory of Chogm," says Naomi.
Chogm pork joint
Chogm Pork Joint? "Why not? Who doesn't want to be associated with the event? Anyway it was the in thing when Mr Kayondo put this business in place so he called it that," explains the butcher at the Namuwongo - based joint. The business was also meant to target the Chogm event according to the butcher man. He is not willing to explain this saying it is obvious, though honestly it is not to me; is it the delegates being targeted or is the proprietor for the four-month-old pork joint hoping that Ugandans will need more pork during this Chogm season?
Whatever his reasons, Mr Kayondo opened another Chogm pork joint along Ggaba Road and doesn't intend to change the name after the meeting to remind him of the year Uganda hosted the very important meeting. "After all I don't think any of the other infrastructure being put up by the government for Chogm like the roads and hotels will be removed or changed after the meeting," reasons the butcher man.***image2*
Chogm village
In existence since May, this year of Chogm, the proprietor of this Wakaliga based restaurant and bar reasons that it will be for the future generations to see and know they missed out on a special event in Uganda. Besides, he reasons that Chogm is a good thing to call your business because it is a concept that will stick in people's minds. "Besides there is no one else in this country that owns a Chogm village except me, not even the richest men in this country," boasts the proprietor.
Sure enough the village is living up to its expectations per the proprietor since some guests are specifically attracted to the bar because of its brand name.
Chogm tour agents 2007 (U) Ltd
Some people heeded the advice to maximise Chogm benefits. Mr Darausi Jjingo, also the chairman of Chogm Taxis and Marine Providers association licensed to provide transport means for the coming delegates, also has a tour company named after the event. Although he admits he was targeting maximising profits from the meeting when he started the company at the beginning of this year, Jjingo adds that he hopes it can live on to remind all of the pleasure Uganda had hosting the event.
A portrait of the queen
Ali Katongole, an artist with Team Artists in Kiswa decided that the best he could offer Chogm was to paint a portrait for the head of the meeting, Queen Elizabeth II that he will not sell but wait for an opportunity to display when the queen finally comes over next week. "I'm planning to stand along Entebbe Road when the queen comes to Uganda so that she can see it and know that we have waited for her eagerly in this country," says Katongole.
Katongole is however concerned that as the government inconveniences citizens in preparation for the meeting, the queen might pay the price. "People are beginning to blame it on the queen saying if she wasn't coming over, they would be able to lead their normal lives without these inconveniences. I think the local government should find a way of dealing with these issues and make sure people fully understand what is going on and who is responsible for these inconveniencing activities," he says adding, "the queen is apolitical and I'm sure she wouldn't have minded if the country was left the way it was."
Baby Chogm
A Chinese couple decided to name their baby boy who was born on March 20, the day the Iraq war broke out and at a time when alarm over the SARS outbreak was spreading across China Saddam Deng Sars, Deng being their family name. This was their way of immortalising the two events.
Ms Harriet Apolot took the cue five months ago when her son was born and named him Trevor Chogm.
"I perceive Chogm to be a good thing that we should remember and I'm proud of the fact that my son was born during this important year," explains Ms Apolot.
For Mama Chogm, naming her son after the event was the best way to express her readiness and the fact that she fully embraces Chogm. She believes Uganda can never be the same after Chogm and that the fact that Uganda has had the honour of hosting the prestigious event is good enough for her should the meeting not benefit the nation as she expects it to.
"I hope my son can ask me why he is called Chogm when he grows up so that I can tell him how he was born during a special year for this country," adds the excited mother. Taata Chogm, although a Kenyan national, welcomed the idea of naming his son after the meeting because he agrees it is a prestigious event with nothing to be ashamed about.
"I like it and enjoy it as much as everyone else that gets amazed by the fact that my son is seriously called Chogm. I'm very happy about it," concludes Ms Apolot.
I wonder though; would the 'Chogm' bit of all these titles and names fit in well if it was actually called or written out in full? Well, I guess they really only meant to use its abbreviation form.
At least the government is not alone in this; there are citizens that have embraced Chogm and gone an extra mile to show their support and readiness.
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