KAMPALA — Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Director of Public Health and Environment, Dr Sarah Zalwango, with the executive director of Kampala capital city authority hajjat Sharifa buzeki on Saturday led a massive community clean-up and medical outreach in Kawempe Division, reaffirming the authority’s commitment to improving sanitation and taking essential public health services closer to city residents.
The exercise, conducted under KCCA’s Weyonje Initiative, brought together residents from Mbogo, Ketifalawo, Kirokole, Kiza, Kisowera and Kalule zones in Kawempe II Parish. Besides cleaning drainage channels, roadsides and public spaces, KCCA organised a free medical camp that offered healthcare services to residents while officials held a community dialogue to identify key service delivery challenges affecting the area.
The outreach forms part of KCCA’s wider strategy, spearheaded by Dr Zalwango, to strengthen disease prevention through community participation, environmental sanitation and preventive healthcare.
Addressing residents after the exercise, Dr Zalwango said the authority is increasingly integrating sanitation campaigns with health outreach programmes to ensure communities not only live in clean environments but also have access to basic healthcare and a platform to engage directly with city leaders.
“Today, I joined residents of Mbogo, Ketifalawo, Kirokole, Kiza, Kisowera and Kalule Zones in Kawempe II Parish. Together we cleaned the surroundings, extended a medical camp in the area and held a community meeting to listen to the service delivery needs of residents and take appropriate action,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of kcca, hajjat sharifa buzeki noted that KCCA’s public health interventions are becoming more community-centred, with residents playing an active role in identifying local challenges and working alongside the authority to address them.
The executive director also praised the overwhelming response from community members and partner organisations, saying the success of the Weyonje Initiative continues to demonstrate that sustainable sanitation can only be achieved through collective responsibility.
She thanked PLU Bulungi Bwansi Kawempe, the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, the Uganda Police Force, Towa Uchafu, Community and 7 Hills Cleaning SACCOs of Kawempe, the United Private Waste Collectors, the Consortium of Waste Collectors, local leaders, Kawempe Central Police Station, Luuka Plastics and residents of Kawempe II for supporting the campaign.
“Keeping Kampala clean is a shared responsibility. Let us all take action by maintaining clean surroundings, practising good hygiene and protecting our environment,” ED sahrifah buzeki said.
Since assuming leadership of KCCA’s Public Health and Environment Directorate, Dr Zalwango has intensified the implementation of the Weyonje Initiative, transforming it from a routine clean-up campaign into a broader public health programme that combines environmental conservation, disease prevention, community mobilisation and health promotion.
The initiative has expanded across Kampala’s five divisions, mobilising residents, local leaders, schools, markets, security agencies, private waste collectors and community organisations to improve sanitation and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks associated with poor waste management and blocked drainage systems.
Public health experts say regular community clean-up exercises, coupled with health education and medical outreach services, play a critical role in preventing communicable diseases, especially in densely populated urban communities.
Residents who participated in Saturday’s exercise welcomed the initiative, saying it had not only improved the cleanliness of their neighbourhoods but had also given them access to healthcare services and an opportunity to engage directly with KCCA officials on issues affecting their communities.
As the Weyonje Initiative continues to gain momentum across the capital, Dr Zalwango has maintained that building a cleaner Kampala requires every resident, institution and stakeholder to play an active role in protecting the city’s environment and safeguarding public health.
