Thank you for reading and participating in the People’s Forum blog. It has been enormously valuable to receive your contributions. Being a time limited project, this blog is closing for new content but will remain open as an archive.

For those who didn’t have an opportunity to make it to the event itself, here’s a short video depicting what it looked like on the ground.

Click here if you can’t see the video below.

By Naomi Kabarungi

The People’s Space at Commonwealth People’s Forum has been a hive of activity since Monday.

I followed the moments with a camera:

The bloggers get set to go out

Uganda’s VP Prof Bukenya is fascinated by the people’s blog

Workshops holding discussion groups

Exciting performances at the Speakers Space stage

By Joel Besekezi

Does the above saying look familiar? Well this was the case for some of the guests that came to the people’s space at Hotel Africana. Prince Charles was touring the space and apparently for security reasons, those who came after the Prince’s entry were not allowed in.

This however did not go down well with some of the guests especially the ladies, who thought it did not make much sense. “Is the big man going to address chairs, why not let us in” said one lady.

Another lady wondered why people could not be let in even after thorough security checks. An Indian lady complained having come all the way from her country but couldn’t access the People’s space.

Trust people when they are fighting for their rights. After so much noise, the security guards had no alternative but to let the people in. With so much excitement, people rushed to see the Prince who was already winding up his tour.

Prince Charles is one of the many dignitaries that have visited the People’s space which was put in place for free access by the general public. As it comes to a close, people feel it’s been a worthwhile venture and they have high hopes that their issues will be considered.

By Emmanuel Gyezaho, Charles Odongtho and Naomi Kabarungi

Prince Charles has today launched a fund to help youths engage in income generating activities. He named the fund the Uganda Youth Business Fund.

Prince Charles launched the fund during his visit to the People’s Space at Hotel Africana in Kampala. He expressed delight at making his first trip to Uganda in 60 years.

The prince singled out emphasis on Climate change and empowerment of youth which he said the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) will address seriously. He added that in ten years, more than a billion children worldwide will be reaching employable age without employment.

He said the challenge of the modern day is to find employment for the youth’s and protect the environment on their behalf.

Charles explained that the Ugandan trust is replicated from the trust he launched thirty years ago in the United Kingdom to help get employment for young and underprivileged children. He said he was launching the Ugandan chapter after the success of the one in the UK seven years ago.

He said the Prince’s Trust in the United Kingdom has now expanded into 70,000 business enterprises in the UK and over twenty countries of the commonwealth.

He said, “We hold this planet in trust for the future of our children” adding that, “we can choose to abuse it or we can protect it so that our children can inherit a safe planet.”

The prince particularly noted that climate change is the greatest issue that the Commonwealth People’s Forum has given space to discuss.

Moving through the Space, Prince Charles was bombarded by lots of people seeking to shake his hand. Security, both royal and local, hardly managed to keep the masses at a hundred metres distance. British Council’s Anne Babinaga showed His Royal Highness round the People’s Space. He took time to stop over at most of the huts and even spared a few minutes to play the Lolui rocks at the Rock art, Rock Music tent.

By The Editor

Charles Odongtho, one of the blogger team, managed to take some time out with Terry Waite for a short interview.

Click here if you can’t see the video below:

By The Editor

Martin Davidson, current CEO, British Council dropped by the Media Space yesterday to see what’s been going on. One of the blog team, Naomi Karabungi managed to corner him and ask a few questions about British Council’s involvement in Africa and the event.

Click here if you can’t see the video below.

Click to download a transcript in Word or PDF.

We asked participants at the event to come share their views on this issues at our makeshift ‘diary room’. Here’s the seventh.

Click here if you can’t see the video below.

By Joel Besekezi

Ugandans living in Kampala woke up to amazement this morning when they got into the city. Traffic was being directed by wardens clad entirely in white. Their shirts, trousers, caps, gloves, even shoes were all white. One motorist was overheard explaining this was in readiness for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

A pedestrian I spoke to told me: it’s one way Uganda is getting ready to welcome the ‘whites’ a term commonly used to refer to Europeans. Reactions, however were mixed: some people thought the wardens did not look very smart, others were not impressed by the colour contrast since they felt the wardens looked too dark for the attire.

Besides the ‘white’ wardens, the city looked gridlocked since the traffic jam was unbearable. This could have been as a result of the closure of some roads for security purposes, no doubt because HM Queen Elizabeth II jets into Uganda this evening.

However, much as the long-awaited arrival of the Queen is anticipated, many people around Kampala are still not aware of what CHOGM is. A shop owner on Kampala road told me that CHOGM is the Queen’s third name, another thought it is the Queen’s husband. Some others know about CHOGM, but claimed they are not interested because poverty is still eating away at them. Most Ugandans, though, are optimistic that CHOGM is going to do the people good in the long run. A Taxi driver told me that he does not mind the event even though he won’t gain individually - but at least he will not drive through potholes any more.

We asked participants at the event to come share their views on this issues at our makeshift ‘diary room’. Here’s the sixth.

Click here if you can’t see the video below.