Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has announced that the fourth National Cleaning Day will take place in Lira City on October 31, 2026, as the government steps up efforts to improve sanitation, protect the environment and promote proper waste management.
Nabbanja called on Ugandans, political leaders, local government officials and security personnel to participate in the nationwide exercise, saying the campaign should encourage people to take greater responsibility for keeping their homes and communities clean.
She said movement restrictions involving pedestrians, vehicles and motorcycles would remain in place during the exercise, urging the public to observe the arrangements and take part in cleaning activities.
The Prime Minister also called on leaders at all levels to lead by example by joining residents in cleaning public spaces and mobilising communities to maintain proper sanitation beyond the designated day.
Nabbanja said the first three editions of the National Cleaning Day had been successful and expressed confidence that the fourth exercise would build on the progress made.
She said the government was prepared to work with security agencies, resident district commissioners and local government leaders to ensure the exercise was carried out successfully.
However, Nabbanja identified the collection and transportation of rubbish from designated collection centres as a major challenge.
She appealed to stakeholders and those with access to vehicles to continue supporting communities by helping transport collected waste to appropriate disposal sites.
The National Cleaning Day initiative is intended to improve public hygiene, reduce environmental pollution and encourage responsible waste disposal.
Organisers have also urged citizens to make cleanliness a daily practice rather than an activity reserved for designated cleaning days.
Baryomunsi calls for lasting change
Information Minister Chris Baryomunsi urged Ugandans to embrace the National Cleaning Day as part of their everyday lives, warning that poor sanitation and hygiene expose communities to preventable diseases.
He said the exercise should not be treated as a public holiday or an opportunity to rest, but as a chance for citizens to improve the cleanliness of their surroundings.
Baryomunsi also called on local leaders, particularly LC1 chairpersons, to mobilise residents to clean their villages regularly instead of waiting for the national exercise.
He said the ongoing rainy season made proper sanitation even more important, urging households to clear rubbish and keep their compounds clean to reduce environmental and public health risks.
The minister said the country needed to develop a culture in which individuals, families and communities take responsibility for their surroundings throughout the year.
Lira City welcomes cleaning exercise
Lira City Woman MP, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, welcomed the decision to hold the exercise in the city, saying local leaders and residents were ready to participate.
Aceng said Lira City was preparing for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Uganda will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania, and that maintaining a clean environment was important as the country prepared to receive visitors.
She called on residents to support the exercise and make cleanliness a priority beyond October 31.
Aceng said the city intended to sustain its cleaning efforts as preparations for hosting AFCON 2027 continued.
Meanwhile, minister for Information and Communications Technology Justine Kasule Lumumba urged Ugandans to pay greater attention to electronic waste, including discarded electrical and electronic equipment.
She called on the public to collect and sort electronic waste instead of disposing of it carelessly alongside ordinary rubbish.
