Mubende Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Beatrice Kasigazi and Deputy RDC Abubaker Birungi joined District Police Commander Umar Mugerwa and security officers in a cleanup of the Mubende-Fort Portal Highway during National Cleaning Day, emphasizing the need for resident participation. The highway, a critical transport link between Mubende and western Uganda, had sections marred by litter, prompting officials to call for collective action. Kasigazi criticized residents who abstained from the exercise, stating, "Cleaning our communities should not be the responsibility of government and security agencies alone. Every resident has a responsibility to ensure that the environment around them is clean." The initiative aimed to address sanitation concerns linked to public health, with officials stressing that "a clean environment is directly linked to the health and wellbeing of the community."
Deputy RDC Birungi commended security officers for their active role, framing their participation as a demonstration of leadership by example. "I want to appreciate our security officers for coming out to clean. They have demonstrated that maintaining a clean environment is everybody’s responsibility," he said. The cleanup involved removing rubbish from the highway, though some areas remained polluted, underscoring the challenge of sustaining cleanliness. Residents like John Mwesigye highlighted the exercise’s role in "mobilising the public and drawing attention to poor sanitation," while others called for regular initiatives to "encourage people to take responsibility for their surroundings."
The event reflected broader tensions between top-down governance and grassroots accountability. While officials framed the cleanup as a model for community-driven sanitation, some residents questioned why government-led efforts were necessary. One participant noted, "This exercise is important because it reminds us that cleanliness starts with us. We should not wait for government to come and clean our homes and communities." The initiative also coincided with parallel efforts across Uganda, including Hoima’s deployment of garbage scouts and Ntungamo’s vaccination campaigns, underscoring the government’s multi-pronged approach to public health and infrastructure.
Public health experts and local leaders reiterated that sustained cleanliness requires ongoing collaboration. Kasigazi emphasized that "maintaining cleanliness should not be treated as a one-day activity but as a continuous responsibility shared by individuals, communities, and local authorities." The exercise, while symbolic, highlighted the persistent challenge of balancing civic duty with institutional support in rural areas. As Mubende residents grappled with the dual imperatives of hygiene and self-reliance, the event served as a microcosm of Uganda’s broader struggle to reconcile development goals with grassroots engagement.