Alfred Wasike
9 March 2008
Kampala — PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni, accompanied by his wife Janet, is in London for the Commonwealth Day celebrations at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II. Celebrations to mark the day start today with prayers at Westminster Abbey.
Museveni is attending the celebrations as the Commonwealth chairperson. He will attend a reception at the Commonwealth headquarters at Marlborough House, in the company of the Queen. On Tuesday, he will address Commonwealth High Commissioners based in London.
This year's Commonwealth Day theme is: "The Environment - our Future".
In separate messages, the Queen, the head of the Commonwealth and the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Don McKinnon, warned against pollution.
The Queen referred to last year's Commonwealth heads of government meeting in Uganda on the shores of Lake Victoria, where the leaders agreed on a plan to tackle climate change.
"It was an appropriate place to do so: From there, the waters of the River Nile begin a three-month journey to the Mediterranean.
"The Nile, throughout history, has served humankind in many ways. But for all its impressive size and importance, this river is a fragile eco-system; and its vulnerability grows with the number of people dependent upon it, so that a single incident of pollution upstream may affect the lives of countless numbers downstream.
"The example of the Nile illustrates many of the challenges facing the global environment as a whole which cannot alone sustain our lives as once it did."
She reminded the Commonwealth that attitudes to the environment in their respective countries have consequences for people on every continent and for every ocean and sea.
McKinnon said today's generation would never be forgiven if it did not care about the environment.
Quoting Mahatma Gandhi, he said there was sufficient supply in the world for man's need but not for man's greed.
Museveni also noted that increased generation of power would enhance Uganda's transformation. He said soon, Bujagali Dam on the River Nile, would make electricity more affordable and reduce the use of firewood.
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