Kampala took a step towards a cleaner, healthier city on Wednesday with the launch of “No-Litter Day,” a massive clean-up campaign designed to tackle the capital’s persistent waste challenge.
The activity, spearheaded by the Minister for Kampala Capital City and Metropolitan Affairs, Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, and Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki, set the tone for this year’s Kampala City Festival by reminding residents that cleanliness starts with individual choices.
“We can keep Kampala clean by simply choosing not to litter. It is our collective duty to plan where to dispose of our waste and to manage it responsibly,” Kabanda told an energetic crowd at City Square, where the campaign was flagged off.
With gloves, sacks, and banners carrying the no-Litter message, students from schools such as Kololo High School, Bat Valley Primary, Kololo Secondary School, and Kampala High joined civil society groups, local leaders, and beauty queen Miss Uganda Trivia Elle Muhoza in a march across the city’s busiest streets—Arua Park, William Street, Nakivubo Road, Shauriyako, Nabugabo, Kyaggwe Road, and Kisekka Market.
At every stop, participants picked waste, sorted plastics from organics, and engaged city dwellers about the importance of responsible disposal.
Communities in Kagugube Parish and Kivulu I and II neighborhoods also embraced the cause, with Local Council leaders urging households to separate waste right from the source.
To amplify the impact, all five city divisions—Central, Kawempe, Makindye, Nakawa, and Rubaga—organized parallel clean-ups under their Town Clerks, ensuring the No-Litter message resonated across Kampala.
Sharifah Buzeki emphasized that the drive should not be viewed as a one-off gesture linked only to the upcoming festival.
“This is not just about one day. If each of us takes personal responsibility, we can build a city where cleanliness is the norm, not an exception,” she said.
Backed by NGOs, community-based organizations, and KCCA’s environment teams, the campaign reinforced the idea that waste management is not merely a government duty but a lifestyle choice for every Kampala resident.
As Kampala counts down to the festival on October 5 at Kololo Independence Grounds, the No-Litter Day campaign has left one clear message: the city’s beauty and sustainability lie in the hands of its people—and it begins with where they choose to throw their waste.
