Bukomansimbi Residents Forcibly Dragged to Clean Localities

What the report says

Nile Post reports that police in Bukomansimbi District compelled residents to take part in a government-led Bulungi Bwansi community clean-up on Saturday after some people ignored a directive to join the nationwide sanitation exercise. The operation was led by District Police Commander Aggrey Francis Kyesimiire, with police officers and local leaders moving through homes and other premises to bring residents into the campaign.

According to the report, some residents stayed on verandas, locked themselves indoors or went to lodges to avoid participating. Police reportedly entered Gwe Osalawo Lodge and ordered those found there to join the clean-up. Officers also set up roadblocks on main routes, stopping motorists and passengers and requiring them to participate before proceeding, which temporarily disrupted traffic.

Authorities framed the exercise as a public health and environmental cleanliness measure. Nile Post reported that the nationwide Bulungi Bwansi activity began at 6:30am and is intended to improve sanitation and reduce disease risks. Kyesimiire said cleanliness was a shared duty, while Assistant Resident District Commissioner Joseph Luwagga Kitayimbwa warned business owners without acceptable sanitation facilities, including pit latrines, that they could face legal action.

The report said reactions among residents were mixed, with some welcoming stricter enforcement and others urging neighbours to take sanitation programmes more seriously. Bukomansimbi Town Council Mayor Mawanda also encouraged residents to treat cleanliness as a daily responsibility, not only a government-organised event. District authorities warned that people found with dirty premises after the exercise could be arrested and prosecuted.