Uganda will on Saturday launch its maiden National Cleaning Day, marking the start of a monthly nationwide exercise aimed at improving sanitation, protecting public health and encouraging communities to take greater responsibility for keeping their surroundings clean.
The initiative, announced by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja on Thursday ahead of its official rollout, establishes the last Saturday of every month as National Cleaning Day.
Beginning this month, Ugandans will dedicate three hours, from 7 am to 10 am, to cleaning homes, neighbourhoods, markets, schools, health facilities, places of worship, drainage channels, roads and other public spaces.
The inaugural exercise will be officially launched by Vice President Jessica Alupo on behalf of President Yoweri Museveni at Kiti Zone in Kampala's Kisenyi III Parish.
According to Ugandan authorities, the programme forms part of a broader effort to improve sanitation standards, reduce diseases associated with poor hygiene, protect the environment and instil a lasting culture of civic responsibility across the country.
Ahead of the launch, the Uganda Police Force (UPF) on Friday announced sweeping traffic restrictions to facilitate the nationwide clean-up exercise, saying movement on roads and water bodies will be suspended during the three-hour exercise.
The restrictions will apply to motor vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles and vessels, although emergency services, security vehicles on official duty and cross-border traffic along major transport corridors will be allowed to continue operating.
People travelling for scheduled medical treatment will similarly be exempt from the restrictions provided they carry the necessary medical documents, while medical personnel have been advised to carry identification to facilitate their movement during the exercise.
Ugandan residents have also been encouraged to remain within their local communities during the exercise before resuming normal activities after the clean-up concludes at 10 am.
“We urge all citizens, institutions and community leaders to fully comply with the directive and actively participate in the cleaning exercise. Members of the public are advised to cooperate with security personnel and avoid any altercations," the police said.
The initiative is being introduced as Uganda continues to grapple with a high number of illnesses that health authorities say could largely be avoided.
According to the country’s Health Ministry, about 75 per cent of the country's disease burden stems from preventable conditions, many of them linked to poor sanitation and unhygienic environments, including malaria, diarrhoeal diseases and typhoid.
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