Jinja city mayor calls for unity, better service delivery in Southern Division

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Jinja City Council (JCC) leaders have challenged the newly sworn-in Jinja Southern Division Mayor, Simon Kasirye, to put aside political party differences and focus on improving service delivery and sanitation in the city.

Al-Hajji Nagaya Abdulhafidh, the Jinja city mayor who subscribes to the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party, said political rivalry should not derail development efforts aimed at restoring the beauty of Jinja city.

Nagaya explained that Jinja city has long been grappling with garbage management challenges. He noted that poor waste management remains one of the biggest problems affecting the city, with heaps of uncollected waste in markets, along roadsides and in residential areas, damaging Jinja’s image as a tourism and industrial hub.

“We have been elected to serve the people and not to promote political divisions. The people of Jinja expect better roads, clean streets and improved services regardless of political affiliation,” the mayor said.

Daphane Kayizuka the deputy speaker taking oath before the Jinja Chief Magistrate Phiona Angura at the council chambers. (Photo by Doreen Musingo)

Al-Hajji Nagaya called for partnership in garbage collection and management following the swearing-in of Mayor Kasirye and his councillors at Walukuba West playgrounds in Jinja city.

He urged the division leadership to work closely with councillors, technical staff and residents to ensure effective garbage collection and proper sanitation.

The city mayor warned that failure to address the growing garbage problem could expose residents to disease outbreaks and discourage tourism and investment in the city.

“Garbage is destroying the beauty of Jinja. We need collective responsibility to ensure that the city remains clean and attractive,” he added.

Simon Kasirye, the Southern Division mayor aligned to the National Unity Platform (NUP), said in his maiden speech during the May 18, 2026, function that improving garbage collection to restore the beauty of Jinja was among his top priorities. 

Kasirye, who welcomed the idea of teamwork, also urged residents to support the division’s cleanliness campaigns by properly disposing of waste and participating in community clean-up activities.

He explained that garbage collection is the responsibility of the division council, including management of the landfill where the waste is dumped.

“We need the landfill to always be cleared for easy access for garbage trucks. This will help avoid spilling and dumping garbage all over. We also advise our communities to always pack garbage for easy collection and also pay collection dues to the tenderers to collect on time,” he noted.

He added that another priority would be lobbying for and installing street security lights in the division, which hosts most of the industries, yet lacks adequate lighting.

Kasirye explained that the industries contribute significantly to local revenue, yet they operate in darkness, exposing them to theft and insecurity.

He called upon village local council leaders to cooperate with the division leadership, saying they are the foundation of the city in promoting security, stability, cleanliness and development.

“Cleanliness, security and stability in your villages are a reflection of how the division looks like. I promise that the 25% and 10% of both village and parish councils will be remitted as per the local government act on time, enabling you to deliver,” he added, while appealing to political leaders to embrace teamwork and avoid unnecessary conflicts that slow down service delivery.

Sharif Muhammad, an NRM councillor for Walukuba East Parish, urged residents to support efforts aimed at improving garbage management.

He urged garbage collectors to establish a clear schedule for waste collection so that residents can easily comply.

Muhammad also noted that prioritising sanitation, road maintenance and revenue collection would help improve the welfare of residents.

“Let us focus on unity and development because the people need services. We are a combination of various political entities, including independents. Unity is the best way to go,” he said.

Jinja city has, in recent years, struggled with waste management challenges despite its status as one of Uganda’s leading tourism and industrial centres.

Later, during the division’s first council session, Richard Kirya, an NRM-leaning councillor for Old Boma, was elected speaker after defeating two other contenders with 15 votes. His opponents, Dan Kasadha of NUP and Edward Mutimba, secured nine and three votes respectively.

In the deputy speaker race, Daphane Kayizuka of NRM won with 17 votes, while her opponent Ivan Kiswiri of NUP secured nine votes.