Kamuli District Introduces New Monthly Cleaning Day to Boost Community Involvement

Kamuli District is set to implement a new initiative: a dedicated monthly community sanitation and cleaning day. This extra exercise is designed to encourage greater participation from residents, moving beyond the current practice of simply closing shops and staying home during the national cleaning drives.

LCV Chairman Kaloli Dhizaala explained that the program, rooted in his ‘Bulungi Bwansi’ (community work) campaign, aims to instill a sense of collective responsibility. He noted that the current approach has reduced the purpose of cleaning days, and the new mid-month event will revitalize engagement.

During this new community service day, sub-counties will compete in areas of sanitation, hygiene, and overall cleanliness. Activities will encompass cleaning village roads, improving household hygiene, increasing latrine coverage, and safeguarding water sources. The most successful sub-county will receive a “priority project” as a reward, incentivizing active involvement.

Kamuli’s Chief Administrative Officer, Bob Lawrence Marley, supports the plan, anticipating it will enhance community engagement and promote sustainable sanitation practices. He urged residents, development partners, and leaders to back the initiative, highlighting its potential to reduce disease burden and create cleaner environments.

However, some residents, like 78-year-old Miria Nakaima, expressed concerns about local leaders’ reluctance to enforce sanitation rules due to electoral considerations. Ms. Nakaima called for stricter enforcement, reminiscing about a time when community work was more rigorously upheld with tangible punishments for non-compliance, suggesting a revival of such methods.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/kamuli-plans-extra-cleaning-day-to-boost-community-participation-5579234