Rousing welcome for President

Rohan MATHES in Kampala, Uganda.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa arrived here by a special flight last evening to attend the Commonwealth Heads Of Government Meeting (CHOGM) which begins today.

President Rajapaksa and his entourage were received at the Entebbe airport on arrival by the Ugandan Minister of State for Trade Nelson Gagawal and the Sri Lankan High Commissioner for Kenya and Uganda M.K. Kieran.

The entourage received a red-carpet welcome from the Ugandan Government representatives and later a rousing welcome from jubilant Ugandan crowds who had thronged the decorated roads, waving Ugandan and Sri Lankan flags to get a glimpse of the charismatic President Rajapaksa.

The convoy slowed down for President Rajapaksa to wave at the Ugandans. Security was tight and beefed-up along the 40 kilometre road, with soldiers on high-rise buildings.

An array of flags of the Commonwealth countries fluttered high and gracefully at different locations down the highways from the airport to the Munyonyo Resort in Kampala, where the delegation is to be accommodated.

Men in white uniform were a prominent feature at all the roundabouts and road junctions controlling and directing the traffic.

The entourage received a red-carpet welcome from the Ugandan Government representatives and later a rousing welcome from the jubilant Ugandan crowds who had thronged the decorated roads, waving Ugandan and Sri Lankan flags to get a glimpse of the charismatic Pr1esident Rajapaksa. The convoy slowed down for President Rajapaksa to waive at the Ugandans.

Security was tight and beefed-up along the 40 kilometre road, with soldiers on high-rise buildings. An array of flags of the Commonwealth countries fluttered high and gracefully at different locations down the highways from the airport to the Munyonyo Resort in Kampala, where the delegation is to be accommodated.

The sparkling city centre of Kampala was virtually converted into a black, yellow and red affair as virtually all the electric posts were draped in the Ugandan flag. Men in white uniform were a prominent feature at all the roundabouts and road junctions controlling and directing the traffic.