By Swift Reporter
Several people were arrested across the Greater Iganga sub-region on Friday after allegedly failing to comply with the government’s directive requiring members of the public to participate in the National Cleaning Day exercise.
The nationwide sanitation campaign, which ran from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., saw security agencies, local leaders, government officials and residents join hands to clean markets, streets, trading centres and public spaces in an effort to improve sanitation and public health.
Busoga East Police spokesperson ASP Michael Kasadha said police, working together with other security agencies, enforced the government’s directive to ensure the exercise was successfully observed throughout the region.
“We also took part by cleaning police barracks and nearby streets. The exercise has generally been peaceful, although a few people refused to comply. Some travellers were stopped to participate, and those who ignored the directive were arrested,” Kasadha said.
He noted that police would later release details of those arrested and indicate the action to be taken against them.
The clean-up exercise attracted participation from several leaders, including Iganga District Woman MP Mariam Seif, NRM District Chairperson Hajji Abubaker Walubi, Resident District Commissioners, district officials and the Iganga Municipal technical team led by Town Clerk Edith Turyasasira.
Addressing residents during the exercise, Mariam Seif urged communities to embrace cleanliness as a daily responsibility rather than treating it as a one-day event.
“A clean environment promotes good health. I encourage the people of Iganga to continue keeping their homes and communities clean so that our district remains healthy and attractive,” she said.
Hajji Walubi praised the National Cleaning Day initiative, describing it as a timely campaign that promotes environmental conservation, civic responsibility and community participation.
He called on residents to sustain the spirit of collective action beyond the designated cleaning days to help maintain cleaner and healthier communities.
The exercise temporarily disrupted traffic along sections of the Jinja–Malaba Highway, where vehicle movement was suspended to allow participants to safely clean roadsides and public areas.
Many residents, traders and pupils who joined the campaign welcomed the initiative, expressing hope that the National Cleaning Day programme would become a regular exercise to improve sanitation, reduce disease outbreaks and foster a culture of cleanliness across the country.
The National Cleaning Day initiative forms part of the government’s broader efforts to strengthen public hygiene, prevent sanitation-related illnesses and encourage every Ugandan to take personal responsibility for keeping homes, workplaces and communities clean.
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