Kabale Municipality’s Northern Division has introduced a Shs10,000 penalty for households that fail to participate in the monthly National Cleaning Day exercise
Authorities in Kabale Municipality’s Northern Division have announced a Shs10,000 fine for households that fail to participate in the monthly Uganda National Cleaning Day exercise.
The Division LC3 Chairperson, Patrick Tushabomwe, announced the penalty while speaking at a funeral service at St James Kijuguta Church of Uganda.
The National Cleaning Day programme was launched by the government in July through the Office of the Prime Minister, with cleaning activities scheduled for the last Saturday of every month.
The initiative is intended to improve sanitation and hygiene, conserve the environment and reduce diseases associated with poor sanitation.
Tushabomwe said all LC1 chairpersons in the division had been instructed to ensure that every household is represented during the cleaning exercise.
“We have instructed LC1 chairpersons to ensure that at least each household is represented. Failing to do so will result in a fine of Shs10,000,” Tushabomwe said.
He said enforcement would be carried out at village level, with LC1 chairpersons responsible for monitoring participation and identifying households that fail to comply.
Tushabomwe also urged residents to use the cleaning exercise to prepare for expected heavy rains by clearing blocked drainage channels and strengthening weak sections of their houses.
He singled out Ruhita Village in Kijuguta Ward and Ihimbi Village in Rutooma Ward as areas with poor drainage systems that could put residents at risk of flooding.
Under the National Cleaning Day guidelines, movement and business operations are restricted for three hours, from 7am to 10am on the last Saturday of every month.
During this period, residents are expected to remain within their localities and clean their homes, neighbourhoods, workplaces and public spaces, including drainage channels.
Police enforce restrictions on the movement of vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles and vessels, while shops, markets and other businesses are required to remain closed until 10am.
Some categories of people are exempted from the restrictions, including patients and health workers on duty, emergency service providers, authorised security personnel, foreign tourists, travellers with valid documents, cross-border cargo drivers using gazetted routes and journalists on official duty.