Residents of Nsambya, supported by local leaders and community organizations, recently conducted a neighborhood cleanup in Gogonya, Nsambya Central. The initiative, organized by Brass for Africa in partnership with the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), aligns with the Ugandan government’s recently introduced National Cleaning Day, which mandates that communities spend three hours on the last Saturday of every month cleaning public spaces.
The campaign, themed A Clean Uganda is Everybody’s Business, aims to address the significant waste management challenges in Kampala. According to figures cited by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, the city generates between 2,000 and 25,000 tonnes of solid waste daily, with only 50 to 60 percent currently collected and disposed of. Uncollected waste often blocks drainage channels, posing environmental and health risks.
Tusubira Fredrick Boban, the Area Councillor for Nsambya Central A, emphasized that residents should take personal responsibility for their environment rather than waiting for government-led interventions. Ssebyayi Francis, the LC1 Chairman of Gogonya II, echoed this sentiment, urging residents to stop dumping waste into drainage channels and to adopt better waste management practices.
Ronald Kabuye, Country Director for Brass for Africa, noted that the organization focuses on sanitation and hygiene to mitigate health risks in informal settlements. He stated that the cleanup is part of a broader effort to foster collective responsibility for community health. Josephine Aboth, the Makindye Hub Coordinator for Brass for Africa, added that the organization plans to expand these sanitation events to other areas, including Namuwongo and Katwe, in the coming months.
The initiative also integrates hygiene education into Brass for Africa’s existing music and life-skills programs, encouraging participants to share health information with their families and neighbors.
Article source: nilepost.co.ug | Image credit: nilepost.co.ug