RDC Akech Calls for Greater Public Support as Dokolo Marks First National Cleaning Day
Dokolo Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Barbara Akech has appealed for greater public participation in the monthly National Cleaning Day after the district held its first exercise under the government’s new sanitation campaign.
While commending those who turned up on Saturday, Akech admitted that participation remained below expectations, with many businesses operating as usual and a section of residents unaware of the nationwide exercise.
“The response was encouraging, but we need more people to appreciate that keeping the environment clean is everyone’s responsibility,” she said.
The clean-up exercise, held across Dokolo Town Council between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., brought together security personnel, health workers, market vendors, boda boda riders, traders and journalists.
Akech applauded the District Police Commander (DPC) Patience Baganzi, the District Internal Security Officer (DISO), the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service, health workers, market vendors, the business community and the media for supporting the initiative.
She said regular community clean-up activities would reduce the spread of sanitation-related diseases such as cholera and diarrhoea, while eliminating stagnant water would help reduce mosquito breeding and lower malaria infections.
According to Akech, maintaining a clean town would also improve Dokolo’s image and support its long-term urban development ambitions.
She also commended the LCIII Chairperson of Dokolo Town Council for providing a tractor that collected and transported garbage during the exercise.
However, market vendors said more support is needed to sustain the campaign.
Esther Atim, a silverfish vendor at Dokolo Main Market, welcomed the initiative but said inadequate sanitation equipment continues to hamper waste management.
She said vendors lack essential items such as wheelbarrows, gloves and gumboots, making it difficult to safely handle waste, especially decomposing garbage.
Atim appealed to the district local government to provide a permanent waste container at the market to improve garbage disposal.
Background
The National Cleaning Day follows a directive by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja requiring all Ugandans to dedicate the last Saturday of every month, from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., to cleaning homes, markets, schools, workplaces and other public spaces.
The campaign seeks to improve sanitation, prevent disease outbreaks, promote environmental conservation and encourage citizens to take collective responsibility for keeping their communities clean. Government officials say the exercise is expected to become a regular civic activity aimed at building healthier and cleaner towns across the country.
