Kamuli leaders embrace National Cleaning Day, plan by-law to enforce monthly clean-ups

Kamuli, Uganda: Kamuli District leaders on Saturday joined thousands of Ugandans across the country to launch the National Cleaning Day, with District Chairperson Kaloli Dhizaala calling for the revival of the Bulungi Bwansi spirit through regular community clean-up exercises aimed at improving public health and environmental sanitation.

The nationwide initiative, introduced by the Government of Uganda, will now be observed on the last Saturday of every month under the theme, “A Clean Environment is Everybody’s Responsibility.”

Leading residents in cleaning the Balawoli Town Council trading centre, Dhizaala, who also serves as the district’s Governor of the Bulungi Bwansi Initiative and Vision Bearer, welcomed the government’s decision to revive communal work, saying it aligns with one of his key campaign commitments.

“Bulungi Bwansi is one of my manifesto promises. If government revives it, it will help the community to stay healthy and united,” Dhizaala said.

He urged residents to make cleanliness part of their daily lives rather than treating it as a one-off exercise, noting that improved sanitation would contribute significantly to preventing both communicable and non-communicable diseases.

Dhizaala further revealed that the district plans to enact a by-law requiring homes, business premises and public spaces to be cleaned at least twice every month as part of efforts to institutionalize the campaign.

“As a district, we shall pass a by-law to ensure all places of work and homes are cleaned twice a month,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kamuli District Speaker Hon. Betty Mutesi joined residents of Buwengempya Cell in Kamuli Municipality before proceeding to Musana Community Secondary School, where she participated in cleaning the school compound and surrounding community alongside students.

Mutesi encouraged residents to embrace the government’s initiative, saying cleaner homes and workplaces would reduce the spread of preventable diseases and improve public health.

“Everybody must embrace this programme. A clean home and a clean workplace mean fewer diseases in our community,” she said.

District officials said the monthly clean-up exercises will focus on clearing drainage channels, collecting garbage from markets, improving sanitation in schools and health facilities, and creating healthier urban and rural communities.

The Resident District Commissioner’s office, working with technical staff, mobilized LC I chairpersons, health workers, youth groups and local leaders to ensure widespread participation across sub-counties, town councils and municipalities in Kamuli.

The National Cleaning Day initiative forms part of government’s renewed Bulungi Bwansi programme, which seeks to strengthen community participation in sanitation, prevent disease outbreaks such as cholera and malaria, and encourage citizens to take collective responsibility for maintaining clean public spaces.

Leaders in Kamuli pledged to sustain the campaign and urged residents to participate actively in every monthly exercise to create cleaner, healthier and more resilient communities.