By David Imaa
TORORO
Leaders in Tororo have rallied residents to actively participate in the National Cleaning Exercise scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday 26th September 2026.
The exercise that runs from 7:00am to 10:00am every last Saturday of the month marks its third edition since it was instituted by Cabinet.
Tororo Municipal Mayor, Bernard Ochieng Oben says the municipality is fully ready.
“As a municipality we are doing it the way we have always done. I had an engagement today with the Deputy Town Clerk. The Town Clerk is currently engaged with the team from the Ministry of Local Government. We organize ourselves together with our road gang, together with the staff, together with well wishers, security and all the other leaders. As far as tomorrow’s exercise is concerned we are very, very ready,” Ochieng said.
Ochieng said the exercise is compulsory and urged residents to clean where they reside.
“We are not asking everyone to come and clean throughout town. We are asking you to wake up and clean around your area. The people of Bison, please wake up and clean around Bison. People of Agururu stay within Agururu. Those within Central Parish please stay within the CBD. Those of Nyangole, let’s clean within our localities,” he said.
He also called upon LC1 Chairpersons to mobilize their communities.
“We also want to call on the local leadership, the LC1s. Now that we have new leadership in office for all these villages within the municipality we ask you to mobilize your people,” he added.
The Mayor emphasized that a clean environment is everyone’s responsibility and cautioned those who intend to defy.
“No one needs to coerce you to bathe. Why do they have to coerce you to clean where you stay? This is a national exercise that involves everyone including security. So the law will surely catch up with you. I really don’t want you to be caught on the wrong side of the law. It will be very sad for you to call me on Monday that ‘Mayor I have been arrested, I’m at CPS because I defied the national cleaning day’,” he warned.
He revealed that the area Member of Parliament will join the cleaning exercise in the Central Business District.
The Deputy Town Clerk, Kitong Okoth said the health department is leading the organization and both technical and political leaders will take part.
“The public should join us to clean up our town and even those who may not come to the centre they should be able to clean their surrounding wherever they are,” Okoth said.
Meanwhile, Tororo District Vice Chairperson, Olweny John Francis said hygiene must start from individual homes.
“It is the national policy that every last Saturday of the month is a cleaning day. I’m informing the entire public that they should readily avail themselves to places that need cleaning. Begin with your home as you go to public places. Because hygiene begins with you. Without you cleaning yourself and your surroundings, cleaning a trading centre alone will not ensure safety of your life,” Olweny said.
Olweny urged residents to embrace self-driven participation.
“I expect you to cooperate and do the needful. Let this exercise be part of our usual undertakings. Nobody should push you but you should have a self-driven attitude. I expect maximum cooperation,” he said.
