It’s one of those years when former British colonies gather for one of the biggest sporting festivals in the world — the Commonwealth Games, held every four years since 1930 (except 1942 and 1946, which were cancelled because of the World War).

The one thing that has held participating countries together is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Relay Baton, which traverses Commonwealth nations before it finally lands on the soils of the host country.

But as the baton continues its journey to the 20th edition of the “Club” Games to be held from July 23 - August 3 in Glasgow Scotland, the question that arises is: Will the event live up to its billing?

Arguably, since the IAAF inaugurated the World Championships in 1983, the Commonwealth Games have lost their lustre. And this year does not bode well either.

The fact that the event is taking place after the pulsating 2012 London Olympic Games and the 2013 Moscow World Championships presents a challenge. The tricky schedules including the Diamond League — which has 14 events starting May 9 in Doha Qatar and ending on September 5 in Brussels, Belgium — haven’t helped matters either.

A number of established athletes are likely to withdraw from the Glasgow Games. In fact, it is likely that many will prefer to consolidate their energies for the World Cup to be held September 13 in Marrakesh, Morocco.

Already, Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill of Britain will miss the Commonwealth Games because she is pregnant. Double Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah could also skip the games to recover from his first London Marathon in April. But the big news is that world-record-breaking Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt will probably only run in the 200m if he competes at all.

The Olympic gold medallist sprinter, Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica, though, is expected at the Glasgow Games.

In the region, the 800m Olympic champions and world record holder David Rudisha will miss the Games because he is recovering from an injury. Defending champion in the 3,000m steeplechase Milcah Chemo, who won gold at the World Championships and World 1,500m champion Asbel Kiprop have both withdrawn from the Commonwealth Games. Chemo wants to concentrate her energies on the World Cup.

Another Kenyan, Vivian Cheruiyot, who won 5,000m at the 2010 Delhi Games, is on maternity leave while the winner of both women’s 800m and 1,500m titles, Jebet Lagat has been struggling with form after recovering from an injury.

Kenya won the overall athletics title at the 2010 Delhi Games with 11 gold, 10 silver and eight bronze medals, beating Australia (11-6-3) and England (7-9-10). Kenya’s other gold came from swimmer Jason Dunford in the 50m butterfly. Dunford will defend his title in Glasgow.

In Uganda, Moses Ndiema Kipsiro, the 2010 Delhi Games 10,000m and 5,000m champion — the only athlete to win the country medals in the championships — is yet to make up his mind on defending his titles in Glasgow, while London Olympics and Moscow World Marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich is clear that he will not compete in Glasgow.

Uganda will send 64 athletes and 24 officials to Glasgow. Ambrose Tashobya, Uganda’s chef de mission to the Games said: “It’s a good number that we are taking.”

Tashobya, who is also the Uganda Olympic Committee vice-president, spoke recently before a dinner to celebrate the arrival of the Queen’s Baton at the Lugogo Stadium in Kampala.

Kenya’s triathlon team will make its debut at the Games, where judo will also be making a comeback. Kenya will be represented in 15 disciplines, and plans to send a contingent of 265 athletes and officials. 

The Kenyan judo team is making a return after the 2002 Manchester Games. Athletics once again has the highest number of participants — 64 (30 men, 22 women, 12 officials. 

Other disciplines in which the country is taking part are Elite Athletics with Disabilities (EAD), badminton, boxing, bowling, cycling, judo, rugby sevens, squash, shooting, table tennis, weightlifting and swimming.

“The games will be part of our preparations for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, hence we want to liaise with our affiliates to start the groundwork at the grassroots level,” said the National Olympic Committee of Kenya chairman, Kipchoge Keino, upon receiving the Queen’s Baton in Nairobi from Sharad Rao, the legal advisor to the Commonwealth Games Federation.

Rao, who has served on the federation committee for three decades, took the baton to the East African region. He received it on December 30 in Sierra Leone, and has been accompanying it on its journey around Africa. Already, he has done the rounds in Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon.