Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Queen’s baton arrives in the country on Friday, carrying up special message from Britain’s Queen Elizabeth for its Dar es Salaam’s routines in the wake of next year’s Commonwealth Games.
The coordinator for the baton’s arrival in the country, Henry Tandau, who is also the Vice-President of the Tanzania Olympic Committee (TOC), said on Tuesday that traditionally, the baton is accompanied with a huge delegation that includes security officers but said this time around, it will just be accompanied by one person in the wake of Coronavirus effects.
“It has been agreed that every host country will accompany it to the next country in routine, so the baton will be accompanied by a Rwandan who will leave it in the country, and upon completion of its routine, a Tanzanian will also take it to another country,” said Tandau.
The baton will start its relay on Saturday from Jakaya M Kikwete (JMK) Youth Park at Kidongo Chekundu in Dar es Salaam and visit among other areas, Askari monument, British Council and National Museum.
It will also be taken to Zanzibar, where it will be relayed through various historical sites before leaving for the country. The baton is on a 388-day journey covering 230,000 kilometres across all the 70 Commonwealth countries.
The Commonwealth Games are due to start mid next year in Birmingham, England. To ensure a befitting reception for the baton, Tandau said that several renowned Commonwealth Games athletes and Dar es Salaam residents will also be allowed to take a baton for relay.
“We are proud of being part of the Commonwealth and it is an honour for our country to be visited once again by the Queen’s baton relay,” Tandau said.
He was flanked by TOC President, Gulam Rashid and Secretary General Filbert Bayi. The Queen’s Baton Relay is a tradition of the Commonwealth Games that celebrates themes of diversity, community pride and the sporting values of fairness, inclusivity and perseverance.
Tanzania has a proud record at the Commonwealth Games. Its debut ‘Club Games’ was back in 1962, and local athletes have been performing impressively from 1970 through to 2006.
For More News And Analysis About Tanzania Follow Africa-Press
