JINJA CITY – The Minister for the Presidency and Member of Parliament for Budiope West Constituency, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, has led residents of Jinja City in the National Cleaning Exercise, calling on communities to embrace a culture of cleanliness and make proper hygiene and sanitation a daily responsibility.
Hon. Babalanda, who also serves as the Director of the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Busoga Women Field, led the exercise on Sunday, November 1, 2026, in fulfilment of an agreement reached with the SDA fraternity to dedicate the last Sunday of every month to the National Cleaning Exercise.
The exercise was conducted on November 1 because October ended on Saturday, prompting the SDA fraternity to carry out the monthly activity today.
Before the commencement of the exercise, Minister Babalanda conveyed warm greetings from H.E. the President of the Republic of Uganda, Gen. (Rtd.) Yoweri Kaguta Museveni; the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni; the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, Hajji Yunus Kakande; and the entire staff of the Office of the President.
She commended the President and Cabinet for gazetting the National Cleaning Day, noting that the initiative underscores the importance of maintaining proper hygiene and sanitation as essential measures for protecting public health and improving the general well-being of communities.
The Minister urged residents of Jinja City to cultivate a lasting culture of cleanliness by ensuring that their homes, workplaces, business premises and public spaces remain clean and hygienic.
She observed that poor sanitation exposes communities to preventable diseases, increases household medical expenses and undermines the quality of life. She therefore encouraged the public to prioritise preventive measures, emphasising that maintaining a clean and healthy environment should not be treated as an occasional activity but as a collective responsibility.
“As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. Every individual has a responsibility to ensure that their immediate surroundings and the wider community remain clean and safe,” she emphasised.
During the exercise, the team traversed several streets in Jinja City, including Alidina Road, Kutch Road East and Sikindia Road, before proceeding to Jinja Central Market, where cleaning activities were also conducted.
In a related intervention aimed at addressing waste management challenges in the city, Minister Babalanda tasked the Resident City Commissioner (RCC) of Jinja City, together with other concerned authorities, to submit a comprehensive report explaining the absence of a designated dumping site.
She noted that the matter required appropriate attention and follow-up through the relevant government channels to ensure that the city develops sustainable solutions for proper waste disposal and management.
The Minister subsequently visited Nalufenya Children’s Hospital to assess the general standards of hygiene and the quality of healthcare services provided to patients.
During the visit, she expressed satisfaction with the positive feedback received from patients and members of the public regarding the services offered by the hospital’s medical personnel.
She commended the healthcare workers for their dedication, commitment and continued provision of free medical services to the population, recognising their contribution to improving access to healthcare.
Minister Babalanda also pledged to present the concerns raised by the hospital’s management and medical personnel to the Ministry of Health for appropriate consideration and possible intervention.
She emphasised the importance of addressing the challenges facing healthcare facilities to enable medical personnel to continue delivering services effectively and efficiently.
The Minister expressed appreciation to the SDA fraternity for honouring its commitment and actively participating in the National Cleaning Exercise, describing their involvement as an important contribution to promoting public hygiene and community responsibility.
She also recognised the support of Jinja City’s security team, city leaders, National Resistance Movement (NRM) mobilisers and all well-wishers who participated in the exercise and contributed to its successful implementation.
The National Cleaning Exercise forms part of broader efforts to promote environmental cleanliness, improve sanitation standards and encourage citizens to take collective responsibility for maintaining healthy communities.
Minister Babalanda called upon all Ugandans to make cleanliness an integral part of their daily routines, noting that a clean environment contributes to disease prevention, public health protection and the creation of safer, healthier and more dignified communities.
Together, let us make cleanliness a daily practice and build healthier, safer and more dignified communities.
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