Mukono Residents, Schools Embrace Monthly Community Work Initiative

What the report says

Nile Post reported that residents, students, teachers and local leaders in Mukono District took part on Saturday in the district’s first monthly community work exercise under a government clean-up initiative. The activity brought together volunteers in areas including Namaiba, Namakwa and Nakisunga, where participants swept trading centres, removed rubbish, cut back overgrown vegetation and opened drainage channels blocked by waste.

According to the report, the programme is part of a nationwide monthly effort intended to encourage community participation in keeping neighbourhoods clean, improving sanitation, supporting environmental protection and reducing public health risks. Schools were among the participants, with students saying they would promote better waste disposal practices among parents and neighbours, especially around plastic waste.

Teachers also backed the exercise. Nile Post identified Robert Mayemba, the head teacher of Namakwa Senior Secondary School, as saying regular clean-ups could help reduce sanitation-related illness and support healthier learning environments. He also appealed to parents to manage household waste responsibly, noting that children spend much of their time at home before going to school.

Mukono District Chairperson Francis Lukoya urged residents to reconnect with Buganda’s tradition of communal work, saying earlier generations used collective labour to maintain feeder roads, safeguard water sources and keep villages clean. The report frames the initiative as both a public health intervention and a community-building effort, though its longer-term success will depend on sustained participation and consistent waste management beyond the launch exercise.