Queen Elizabeth addresses Ugandan Parliament

State House News (Kampala)
22 November 2007



Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the 2nd of Great Britain has assured the people of Uganda that the United Kingdom will remain a committed friend of Uganda.The Queen is currently on a 3-day State visit to Uganda ahead of the opening of the Kampala 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) tomorrow Friday 23rd November. She arrived in the country yesterday on her 2nd visit. She last paid a visit to Uganda 53 years ago when she officially opened Owen Falls dam in Jinja.Accompanied by her husband Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Queen Elizabeth told the Ugandan legislature presided over by the Speaker Mr. Edward Sekandi and attended by President Museveni that she and Prince Philip have many fond memories of their last visit to Uganda that Sir Winston Churchill described 100 years ago as “The Pearl of Africa”.The Queen said she was delighted to address Ugandan legislators and said it was purely on recognition of the importance of parliamentary democracy to the Commonwealth as a whole. She observed that the deliberations and decisions made in the August House together with the respect of the rule of law have had and will continue to have an essential bearing on Uganda’s success in addressing many serious challenges.The Queen, therefore, assured the people of Uganda that the United Kingdom is actively committed to supporting Uganda’s efforts to deepen its democracy.

On the situation in Northern Uganda, Queen Elizabeth said that the people of Britain have been moved by the plight of the people of the region. She welcomed efforts by the Government of Uganda to resolve the conflict peacefully.

She further commended Uganda’s regional role saying that it is widely appreciated and in particular the contribution made to peace keeping operations in Somalia.

“It has been a tribute to the courage and professionalism of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF)”, the Queen remarked.

On education, the Queen applauded the educational and cultural ties that exist between Uganda and the United Kingdom. She noted that they are now stronger than ever before “through its collaborative school projects, the British Council is bringing together more than one million children across Africa and UK. I look forward to visiting one of such schools here in Uganda at the week-end”, Her Majesty said.

She also expressed concern over the devastating HIV/AIDS scourge and said the role played by organizations such as Mildmay Centre which she had just visited along the Kampala – Entebbe highway, will play a central role in achieving the aim of controlling the scourge.

On behalf of Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth extended to the people of Uganda their good wishes in the years to come.

In his welcoming remarks, President Yoweri Museveni informed Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Philip of the genesis of constitutionalism in Uganda since 1955 that was characterised by several crises.

The President noted that it was not until 1994 when the new constitution was debated by the Constitutional Assembly and promulgated in 1995.

He described the current Ugandan Constitution as the most democratic one in the world because it provides for the representation in Parliament of women, the youth, workers as well as the army. Queen Elizabeth and the Duke signed in the Parliament visitors’ book.

Later, President Museveni unveiled “The Stride” Monument commemorating the Kampala 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). The meeting that will be opened by Her Majesty the Queen takes place tomorrow Friday 23rd November 2007.

The theme of the unveiling ceremony was “The Energy and Fraternity of the Commonwealth of the Commonwealth Countries is Symbolised by the Confident Stride of the Family Group”.

The monument is made of copper sheets and stainless steel.

The ceremony was witnessed, among others, by Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament.