Sanitation concerns raised during Mukono Community Service Day

Mukono District leadership, led by Chief Administrative Officer Elizabeth Namanda, has taken the initiative to promote cleanliness by encouraging and educating residents to participate in community service.
The team, comprising members from both the political and technical wings, toured Kalagi Trading Center, engaging in activities such as cleaning markets, unblocking water channels, and sensitising the public on proper waste management practices.
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However, residents and traders in Kalagi expressed several sanitation concerns, highlighting the lack of adequate public toilets and the absence of a designated dumping site as major challenges in the densely populated trading center.
Josephat Kana, the Kyampisi Sub-county Health Officer, revealed that the only public toilet in the area is full. Consequently, residents have resorted to open defecation, including dumping human waste in building corridors, creating serious sanitation and health concerns.
“We have notified the Mukono District leadership about the challenge, but there has been no response,” Kana said.
Unicie Nsubuga, a resident of Kalagi village, warned that open defecation and poor sanitation have increased the risk of diseases like cholera, typhoid, and diarrhoea, especially among children.
Sulaiman Lumu, the Kalagi LC 1 chairperson, raised concerns about the stench caused by human waste, which has negatively affected the area. The unpleasant smell has discouraged customers from patronising businesses such as restaurants and roadside food vendors.
“Most of our people, especially those in the food business, are incurring losses because of the stench from the filled toilet and garbage,” Lumu noted.
Traders expressed frustration with local authorities, accusing them of neglecting their duty to maintain cleanliness and provide essential facilities like public toilets and garbage collection services.
They also criticised the town council for continuing to impose taxes without delivering adequate services, a situation they say has hurt their businesses.
Chief Administrative Officer Elizabeth Namanda acknowledged the district’s responsibility to address the issue but stated that she had not received prior reports about the situation.
She promised that the next budget would include provisions for modern toilets in the area. Namanda also urged residents to actively participate in maintaining cleanliness and avoid littering.