OVER 90 people in Kooki county in Rakai district have been arrested for not having pit latrines in their homesteads, the district health inspector, Kaddu Lubega, has said.
Lubega said the culprits were charged at the Grade I Magistrate’s Court in Lwanda town, which fined them sh80,000.
Lubega, who led the three-day health operation in the sub-counties of Byakabanda, Kacheera, Kyalulangira, Rakai town council and Dwaniro, urged residents to change their attitude on health issues.
The district medical officer, Dr. Robert Mayanja, said most residents were comfortable disposing of human waste in the bushes.
“That is why we experience severe cases of diarrhoea and other diseases caused by poor sanitation,” Mayanja said.
He accused LC, who did not have pit latrines of failing to lead by example. “We expected the LCs to join us in the campaign, but many of them went into hiding when they learnt of our advance to their villages,” Mayanja explained.
He said the operation would be conducted regularly in all sub-counties. “Those who were fined were also instructed to construct latrines. We shall carry out another operation to see if any improvement has been made. If not, we shall re-arrest and prosecute them,” he said.
