Soroti residents urged to maintain good hygiene

Soroti Municipal has launched a campaign to clean up the town with the aim of reviving its lost glory of cleanliness.

The Keep Soroti Clean campaign was launched by the MP Soroti municipality, Edmund Herbert Ariko on Wednesday starting with eastern
Division.

The campaign invites the public to take part in council and  community-led litter picks, that the authority will support by providing gloves, bags and litter pickers.

During the launch Ariko led more than 200 residents of the town in sweeping the streets, cutting grass at public areas, cleaning markets and unblocking drainages.

Eastern Division residents cleaned up the entire municipality from Moru-apesur, Teso Inn, and Kigandan and were only deterred by scorching sun.

Ariko said clean up exercise will run up Saturday, adding that such large-scale clean up exercises are to become regular features of the town's activities.

He said that as home to Teso's only biggest and bushiest town, it is important to keep the town clean and hygienic.

John Robert Esaru, the LC3 chairperson Eastern Division urged all residents, regardless of status, to join in the cleanup exercise to ensure its success.

"As leaders we will also be visiting schools where we will be holding interactive assemblies and spreading the anti-littering message to the
younger generation", said Esaru.

Speaking during the launch, George Michael Egunyu the LCV chairperson Soroti tasked leaders to encourage citizens to take personal responsibility to keep high standards of hygiene set by the government.

"Majority of our residents do not understand what staying in clean environment means, you are not keeping it clean for the government but for yourselves. It is both the responsibility of the government and
residents to package well their garbage," said Egunyu.

"As we are opening the drainage, getting rid of both solid and liquid wastes that can lead to health hazards to the residents especially children. The residents should emulate and set clean sanitation
standards," he said.

Egunyu called on owners of undeveloped plots in the region to fence  and develop them as a preventive measure to the unlawful dumping of solid wastes.

The district boss also told the residents, especially those running hotels, bars, pubs and restaurants to ensure they had clean toilets, she said they should visit modern county public toilets and learn and
emulate on how a toilet should be.