The call comes after a boda boda rider was shot dead on Saturday by a police officer in Katwe...
The Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church and leaders of the ruling party have called for a peaceful approach to the National Cleaning Day initiative, urging the government to sensitise Ugandans on sanitation rather than resorting to force to enforce compliance.
The appeal follows the death of a 38-year-old motorcycle taxi rider, Ronald Jjuuko Kizito, who was shot dead by a police officer in Katwe, Kampala City, on Saturday. Police Constable Allan Okello, attached to Ndejje Police Station, was subsequently arrested after discharging his firearm at Kizito, who allegedly attempted to ride through a secured area during enforcement of the cleaning hours. Authorities confirmed that investigations into the shooting are currently underway.
Speaking on Sunday, August 30, the President of the SDA Church in Uganda, Pastor Samuel Kajoba, stressed that public education and civic engagement would yield better compliance than physical enforcement.
"The government should focus on sanitisation to attract more people; we need a healthy population for Uganda’s economic development," Pastor Kajoba said. He explained that raising public awareness would help communities appreciate the environmental and health benefits of cleanliness, encouraging voluntary participation rather than treating the exercise as a burden.
Pastor Kajoba urged citizens to maintain proper hygiene standards at home and in workplaces to prevent disease outbreaks. He also tasked physical planning authorities and property developers to protect natural water channels from blockage during construction.
"Water has to flow freely without blockage to avoid flooding; we need to save the money going to unnecessary medical expenses on the issues we can prevent; instead, the money should be used for developmental aspects," Pastor Kajoba said.
He appreciated the government for acknowledging Saturday as a sacred day of worship for Seventh-day Adventists, enabling church members to observe their community cleaning activities on Sunday instead.
Thousands of SDA members participated in the sanitation exercise across the country on Sunday. In Kampala, main activities were centered in Kidoomole Zone, Rubaga Division, where believers gathered to clean public spaces and clear drainage lines.
Mr Yusufu Bukenya Luninze, Head of Community Service at SDA Najjanankumbi, reiterated the call for non-violent civic engagement. He urged government bodies to invest in public seminars and local educational campaigns to build genuine community support.
"We ask the government to sensitise people peacefully without using force; after people understand the cleaning relevance, they will willingly embrace it, not necessarily by force," Mr Luninze said.
Joining the call, Ms Rose Namayanja, Deputy Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), emphasized that the national exercise should foster unity rather than conflict.
"We can do it peacefully; we don’t need to be reminded. It is for the good of all of us; Ugandans should embrace it peacefully and harmoniously," Ms Namayanja said.
Despite the nationwide cleanup drive over the weekend, heaps of uncollected refuse remained visible along major thoroughfares across several Kampala divisions, including Makindye and Rubaga. Residents expressed concern that uncollected waste poses additional public health hazards.
Ms Annet Mutabaazi, an SDA worshipper from Kajjansi, urged local authorities to improve logistical planning for waste management following public cleanups.
"There must be enough standby moving trucks following people during the cleaning exercise across all the divisions. Currently, the rubbish that was cleaned on Saturday remains on the roads," Ms Mutabaazi said.
The government established National Cleaning Day to improve sanitation and municipal waste management nationwide. The exercise is observed across Uganda on the last Saturday of every month, while Adventist communities participate on the following Sunday.
Managing municipal solid waste remains a persistent challenge for urban local governments in Uganda. According to the 2024 Rapid Municipal Solid Waste Management Assessment by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), Kampala City generates approximately 2,500 tonnes of garbage daily, but municipal authorities safely collect and dispose of only 50 percent, leaving about 1,250 tonnes uncollected every day.
