KASANVU RESIDENTS URGED TO KEEP THIER NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN AFTER DUMPSITE CLOSURE

The streets of Kasanvu Zone in Makindye Division felt a little lighter on Saturday, as residents and city officials worked side by side to keep their community clean following the closure of a long-standing illegal dumpsite.

The clean-up, held under Kampala Capital City Authority’s (KCCA) Weyonje campaign, marked a renewed push for residents to take the lead in keeping their surroundings safe, healthy and livable.

KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki said the city had returned not just to clean, but to walk the journey with residents in building lasting habits around sanitation.

“We decommissioned this illegal dumpsite last Saturday. Today we are here cleaning together and sensitising the community so that when we are not here, residents can continue maintaining a clean environment on their own,” Buzeki said.

She reminded residents that real change begins at home and spills into the streets.

“We cannot enter your homes to clean for you. The way your front looks tells a story about your household. Let’s take pride in our surroundings and protect our health together,” she said.

Buzeki  who was accompanied by her Deputy Benon Kigenyi warned that poor sanitation remains a silent driver of disease outbreaks, which affect families’ ability to earn a living and care for their children.

“A healthy community is one that can work, support families and grow together,” she said. “When we keep our environment clean, we are protecting our future.”

For many residents, the transformation of the area is already being felt. They welcomed the removal of the dumpsite, which they said had for years brought foul smells, flies and unsafe waste disposal.

“We can finally breathe better. That place was a constant problem,” one resident said, smiling as they swept along a cleared path.

Local leaders used the moment to push for long-term solutions, including the construction of a public toilet to serve the growing population. They also called on KCCA to engage Uganda Railways Corporation over land access for the facility.

Concerns were also raised about structures built on drainage channels and sewer lines, which residents say worsen flooding whenever it rains.

By Geofrey Mutegeki Araali 
Communication and Media Relations Office