Minister Babalanda tasks RDCs to Mobilise Masses for National Cleaning Days in Advance

Presidency Minister Milly Babirye Babalanda has tasked Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) and other local government leaders to spearhead mass mobilisation for the National Cleaning Days and ensure that communities participate fully in the Government programme.

Babalanda said RDCs, as representatives of the President in the districts, should take responsibility for mobilising communities, identifying areas requiring cleaning and ensuring that all necessary arrangements are made ahead of the monthly exercise.

“As supervisor of the RDCs, RCCs, Deputies and Assistants, I call upon all the RDCs to mobilise the communities, map out areas to be cleaned, make arrangements for cleaning materials to be available at the sites and communicate clearly, at least one week in advance,” Babalanda said.

The Minister made the remarks during an inter-ministerial meeting on the National Cleaning Day held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Kampala on Wednesday.

She said effective mobilisation and early planning by RDCs would be critical to ensuring that the National Cleaning Days achieve their intended purpose of improving sanitation, environmental protection and instilling discipline among Ugandans.Babalanda also called on RDCs to work closely with local leaders and communities to ensure that the exercise is well organised and widely embraced.Her call came shortly after Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja confirmed that President Yoweri Museveni had granted a request by the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church to exempt its members from participating in the cleaning exercise on Saturdays, which is their holy Sabbath.

According to Nabbanja, the President guided that SDA members should instead undertake their cleaning obligations on the following day, Sunday, in recognition of their religious observance.

“In recognition of the Sabbath observance of the Seventh-day Adventist community, and following guidance by H.E. the President, the Seventh-day Adventists will remain at home during the designated cleaning time. However, they will be required to undertake their National Day Cleaning activities on the following day, i.e. Sunday,” Nabbanja said.

She added that SDA leaders would oversee the Sunday cleaning activities and ensure that prayers begin after 10:00am.“This arrangement ensures that the SDA participate fully in the national programme while respecting their day of worship,” she said.

Minister Babalanda, who is herself a member of the SDA faith, thanked President Museveni for considering the Church’s concerns and allowing its members to observe their Sabbath while still participating in the national programme.“In a special way, Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, I want to thank H.E. the President for considering the SDA fraternity to worship their God as established by God Himself,” Babalanda said.

She described the President’s decision as a compassionate and religiously inclusive gesture that reinforces freedom of worship, which she said was restored and upheld by the NRM revolution.National Cleaning DaysThe National Cleaning Days initiative was announced by Prime Minister Nabbanja on July 23, 2026, following a Cabinet resolution aimed at instilling discipline among Ugandans while improving sanitation and environmental awareness and protection.

The exercise is mandatory for all Ugandans and is to be enforced by local leaders, the police and other security agencies.Under the guidelines, the exercise is held on the last Saturday of every month between 7:00am and 10:00am, with a traffic curfew imposed during the cleaning period. Movement is limited to essential service providers and emergencies.

However, the selection of Saturday prompted concern from the SDA community because it coincides with their Sabbath, which is observed from Friday evening to Saturday evening.The SDA leadership, led by Archbishop Samuel Kajoba, subsequently petitioned Government to allow its members to participate in the exercise on another day.The Church leadership met Prime Minister Nabbanja on Tuesday, leading to an agreement for SDA members to undertake the cleaning exercise on Sunday, following the President’s guidance.

The inter-ministerial meeting was attended by Health Minister Dr Chris Baryomunsi, Government Chief Whip Ruth Aceng, Third Deputy Prime Minister Rukia Nakadama, State Minister for Local Government Justine Nameere, and representatives from the Ministry of Health and KCCA, among others.