UPDF, partners launch clean-up drive in Kisoro, Rukungiri and Kanungu towns

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The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Uganda Police Force, Uganda Prisons Service, plus civilian leaders on Wednesday joined local communities to clean up Kisoro, Rukungiri, and Kanungu municipalities.

The sanitation campaign is part of the 45th Tarehe Sita anniversary countrywide celebrations.

Tarehe Sita is marked every February 6 to commemorate the beginning of the National Resistance Army and the armed struggle.

On Wednesday, Kisoro, UPDF personnel in Kisoro and local communities jointly cleaned the town and its suburbs.

Town Clerk Kisoro Municipality Council Mr Ayub Kisubi. (Courtesy)

(Courtesy)

During the exercise, military teams emphasised the importance of community involvement in maintaining cleanliness and order.

A release from the Ministry of Defence and Veterans' Affairs states that at the launch, Deputy RDC Dan Ndikumwami highlighted the significance of partnering with civilians to strengthen the bond between the UPDF and the community, further urging residents to clean their environment daily for medical reasons.

The partnership with UPDF, he said, made their operations successful.

“The importance of military and civilian partnership to clean up the town strengthens the bond between UPDF and civilians,” Deputy RDC Dan Ndikumwami said. “We thank the security forces, particularly UPDF, for being pro-people and giving back to the community,” he added.

The UPDF Kisoro District Civil Military team leader, Lt Col Godfrey Rwabujumbure, noted that cleaning the town demonstrates the UPDF’s connection to the people. “We came from the people, and after retirement, we go back to the people,” he said, adding that the cleaning is a testament to the fact that UPDF is and remains a People’s Army.

The Town Clerk of Kisoro Municipality Council, Mr Ayub Kisubi, pledged to continue fostering this collaboration. 

”As Kisoro, we cherish a clean environment, and we are doing our best to ensure cleanness in town,” he added.

Kisoro Municipality Council Deputy Mayor Mbonigaba Augustine applauded UPDF for their infrastructural, ideological training, and medical camps, among others, in the area. He thanked UPDF for cooperating with the local community to give a facelift to Kisoro town.

In Rukungiri, a similar exercise was led by Maj. Bazinzi Nathan, the Commanding Officer 14 Battalion in charge of Greater Rukungiri. Maj Bazinzi emphasised that the activity was a symbolic gesture of giving back to the people with whom the UPDF shares a deep historical bond.

The District Police Commander (DPC) of Rukungiri Municipality, SSP Ampire Brian, praised the joint effort and highlighted its importance in strengthening community responsibility.

In Kanungu, the UPDF exhibited high levels of discipline and humility during the cleaning exercise. Mr Bahirwa Lovegeri, Mayor of Nyamirarwa Town Council, commended the UPDF for their efforts, saying it has set a good example for the community to follow.

The major cleaning exercise was concentrated in Nyamirama town.

Lt Col Sam Ntungura, Head of Civil-Military Cooperation teams for 2026 celebrations, thanked the local government leaders for their hospitality and support. 

He called on the population to always prioritise cleaning their environment to minimise sickness and eliminate wastage of resources in hospitals as they seek treatment.

Activities during the cleaning exercises in Kisoro, Rukungiri, and Kanungu included: sweeping the streets, slashing overgrown areas, and collecting garbage from various points.

The Tarehe Sita celebrations commemorate the sacrifices of freedom fighters who fought for Uganda’s liberation, culminating in the 1986 revolution.

This year’s celebrations are themed “Defending the Gains of the Revolution and Honouring the Sacrifices of the Freedom Fighters: A Call for National Unity, Peace, and Socio-Economic Transformation.”