Lira City authorities have intensified efforts to improve waste management and maintain environmental cleanliness, warning residents and traders that participation in monthly clean-up exercises will be strictly enforced.
Speaking during the launch of the National Monthly Clean-Up Day on Saturday, Lira City Mayor Sam Atul said the city had already started implementing measures aimed at improving sanitation, including enforcing a “polluter pays” policy requiring residents and businesses to contribute towards waste disposal costs.
The national campaign, launched by the government to promote cleanliness across the country, requires citizens to participate in community clean-up activities on the last Saturday of every month.
Atul said Lira City began implementing its own clean-up initiative a month earlier after receiving guidance on waste management from the central government.
“Whereas the national launch is today in Kampala, for us as Lira City, we launched last month because this information was already with us as local governments,” Atul said.
The mayor said the city had recorded progress in waste management, particularly around Lira Main Market, where garbage collection and disposal had improved compared to previous years.
However, he noted that the biggest challenge facing the city is the growing pressure on its dumping site, which is struggling to accommodate the increasing volumes of waste generated daily.
“Our dumping site is overwhelmed with the quantity of garbage that is taken there every day. We are now emphasizing sorting of waste at the source because about 70 percent of what is dumped can actually be recycled,” Atul said.
He urged households and businesses to separate recyclable materials from general waste to reduce pressure on the city’s disposal facilities.
Atul also appealed to the central government to expedite approval of a city sanitation ordinance that has been pending at the Attorney General’s chambers for more than nine months.
The proposed ordinance seeks to strengthen enforcement of sanitation regulations, including introducing penalties for individuals who illegally dump waste within the city.
“We are doing our work as a city, but we need legal support where necessary. The ordinance contains measures that will hold households accountable for how they manage their waste,” he said.
The mayor further called for the deployment of more public health officers to urban authorities, saying effective waste management requires continuous public awareness campaigns and regular inspections.
Meanwhile, Lira City Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Lawrence Egole criticized residents who fail to participate in community clean-up activities, accusing some of leaving the responsibility to government officials and security personnel.
“You find traders seated and watching while security personnel and government officials clean their surroundings. That mentality must stop,” Egole said.
He warned that authorities would no longer consider participation in the monthly clean-up exercise voluntary.
“Every last Saturday of the month, we shall enforce this exercise. We need a clean environment and every citizen must take responsibility for their health and surroundings,” he said.
Egole said traders operating around the market had been directed to participate in the exercises and warned that businesses could face restrictions if they fail to maintain clean premises.
“If people refuse to participate, we shall not allow the market to operate until the environment is cleaned,” he said.
The National Monthly Clean-Up Day is part of government efforts to improve public health, strengthen urban sanitation, and encourage citizens to take greater responsibility for environmental conservation.
Lira City authorities say the success of the initiative will depend on active community participation and strict enforcement of sanitation regulations.
