News
Gulu residents descend on streets in community cleaning solidarity
Launched by the government on Saturday in Kampala, the countrywide exercise will be conducted every last Saturday of the month, starting 7am by everyone living in Uganda, at all levels.
Gulu City Council today registered a massive turnout during Uganda’s inaugural National Cleaning Day, as residents, city leaders, security agencies and the business community joined the nationwide clean-up exercise. (Photo by Christopher Nyeko)
By: Christopher Nyeko, Journalist @New Vision
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The residents of Gulu city in Uganda's north joined the rest of the country in taking part in the National Cleaning Day initiative.
Launched by the government on Saturday in Kampala, the countrywide exercise will be conducted every last Saturday of the month, starting 7am by everyone living in Uganda, at all levels.
It was approved and adopted by the Cabinet as a national programme on August 11, 2025.
The initiative is aimed at promoting a cleaner environment and improving public health.
The launch day saw people across the country join forces to clean their respective communities, including sweeping streets, clearing bushes and unclogging drainage channels.
Gulu City Council today registered a massive turnout during Uganda’s inaugural National Cleaning Day, as residents, city leaders, security agencies and the business community joined the nationwide clean-up exercise. (Photo by Christopher Nyeko)
Vehicular movement ground the halt, save for emergency situations, to allow the exercise go on without disruption.
In Gulu, armed with brooms, residents, city leaders, security agencies, and the business community descended on public spaces in a collective show of solidarity.
The exercise began at Gulu Main Market, where vehicles designated to transport vendors to the mobile market ground to a halt to ensure traders first participated in cleaning the market.
Police erected barricades at major entry and exit points to the city, resulting in long queues of vehicles along the highways as movement remained suspended during the exercise.
Across the city, including along major highways, roads were largely free of traffic, shops remained closed, and residents joined city authorities in cleaning various public areas.
The exercise was led by Gulu city mayor Julius Acire Labeja Gunya, alongside the city administration headed by town clerk Innocent Ahimbisibwe, resident city commissioner Ambrose Onoria and security personnel.
They cleaned the streets and collected and disposed of waste material.
Members of the business community supported the cause by donating cleaning equipment. For instance, businessman Ali Muhamad donated 50 bundles of brooms and provided one of his trucks to transport the collected garbage.
Ali said he was encouraged by the government's efforts to maintain peace and create a secure environment for businesses to thrive. He urged residents to continue actively participating in future cleaning exercises.
City mayor Gunya said the National Cleaning Day complements Gulu city's long-standing culture of maintaining cleanliness.
The exercise began at Gulu Main Market, where vehicles designated to transport vendors to the mobile market ground to a halt to ensure traders first participated in cleaning the market.
Police erected barricades at major entry and exit points to the city, resulting in long queues of vehicles along the highways as movement remained suspended during the exercise.
Across the city, including along major highways, roads were largely free of traffic, shops remained closed, and residents joined city authorities in cleaning various public areas.
The exercise was led by Gulu city mayor Julius Acire Labeja Gunya, alongside the city administration headed by town clerk Innocent Ahimbisibwe, resident city commissioner Ambrose Onoria and security personnel.
They cleaned the streets and collected and disposed of waste material.
Members of the business community supported the cause by donating cleaning equipment. For instance, businessman Ali Muhamad donated 50 bundles of brooms and provided one of his trucks to transport the collected garbage.
Ali said he was encouraged by the government's efforts to maintain peace and create a secure environment for businesses to thrive. He urged residents to continue actively participating in future cleaning exercises.
City mayor Gunya said the National Cleaning Day complements Gulu city's long-standing culture of maintaining cleanliness.
He noted that although city authorities received communication about the exercise on short notice and had limited time for mobilization, residents showed up in large numbers voluntarily.
The mayor asked local leaders at the village and cell levels to keep mobilising residents to maintain cleanliness in their communities.
He, however, observed that some businesses remained open despite the directive, attributing this to inadequate public sensitisation, which he said they will work on.
RCC Onoria commended the overwhelming public response, saying the initiative had revived the traditional spirit of community service that local leaders previously organised.
He described the exercise as a welcome return to collective responsibility for maintaining clean and healthy communities.
Town clerk Ahimbisibwe thanked businessman Ali for donating brooms and a truck, noting that the city had limited resources to facilitate the inaugural exercise.
He said all technical staff participated in the cleanup while providing technical guidance throughout the exercise.
Ahimbisibwe expressed confidence that the initiative will be sustainable, noting that the government has allocated funding to support National Cleaning Day activities.
He also warned against the indiscriminate posting of advertisements and promotional posters on roadside structures, saying the practice contributes to littering and degrades the city's appearance.
He warned that authorities will arrest individuals who place posters in unauthorised locations.
The mayor asked local leaders at the village and cell levels to keep mobilising residents to maintain cleanliness in their communities.
He, however, observed that some businesses remained open despite the directive, attributing this to inadequate public sensitisation, which he said they will work on.
RCC Onoria commended the overwhelming public response, saying the initiative had revived the traditional spirit of community service that local leaders previously organised.
He described the exercise as a welcome return to collective responsibility for maintaining clean and healthy communities.
Town clerk Ahimbisibwe thanked businessman Ali for donating brooms and a truck, noting that the city had limited resources to facilitate the inaugural exercise.
He said all technical staff participated in the cleanup while providing technical guidance throughout the exercise.
Ahimbisibwe expressed confidence that the initiative will be sustainable, noting that the government has allocated funding to support National Cleaning Day activities.
He also warned against the indiscriminate posting of advertisements and promotional posters on roadside structures, saying the practice contributes to littering and degrades the city's appearance.
He warned that authorities will arrest individuals who place posters in unauthorised locations.