The Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Uganda and also the Bishop of the Diocese of Kampala, the Most Rev. Dr. Samuel Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu, has asked Christians and all Ugandans to be mindful of their God-given duty of protecting and nurturing the environment. 

He called for an end to what he called the senseless littering of plastic bags and other used materials calling it an eventual environmental and health hazard.

“People in Kampala and all over Uganda should learn to be clean. We should not just throw bottles and plastic bags in the gutters and water channels. Cleanliness reduces the sicknesses that are troubling us. We need to protect our environment so that it remains safe for us, our children and our grandchildren.

“Cleanliness can be compared to righteousness. Therefore, people should be drawn to holiness through cleanliness, which is a crucial factor of sanctity. Cleanliness keeps us safe from sickness and unprecedented pandemics, which is why it should be promoted all over the country,” Kaziimba said.

Kaziimba was launching the cleanliness campaign of the Anglican Diocese of Kampala at St. Nicholas Church, Kaleerwe, in Kawempe Division on Saturday, July 16, 2022. 

The cleanliness activity/campaign is one of the activities leading to the weeklong celebrations of the Church of Uganda Diocese of Kampala, which will be held from 14th to 21st August (2022).

In his latter remarks, Kaziimba justified the Church’s involvement in social activities such as community cleaning, saying it was one way of implementing the notion of the practical gospel ministry, which delivers the conversion of the head, the heart and the hands.

The Secretary of the Diocese of Kampala, the Rev. Canon John Awodi, said the diocese was curved out of Namirembe Diocese in 1972, with the positive intention of creating a See for the Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Uganda. 

During the 50 years of its existence, Awodi said, the diocese has registered many achievements, including preaching the Gospel of salvation, reaching out to the needy and championing social transformation.

“By promoting social causes such as community cleaning, we are just demonstrating what we have been doing in the last 50 years.

We decided that instead of just celebrating, we should use the occasion to remind ourselves of the call of preaching the holistic gospel, which transforms the soul and the body.

During the function, the Christians joined the residents in cleaning six zones of Kawempe Division. 

The zones that were cleaned include Ssebwana Zone, Kibe Zone, Kiggundu Zone, Good Hope Zone, Mayinja Zone, Dobbi Zone and Makerere III Zone.

The Golden Jubilee of the Diocese of Kampala (on August 14-21, 2022) will be celebrated under the theme: Ebenezer: His Mission, Our Priority (1 Sam 7:12).