The national carrier RwandAir in partnership with Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) yesterday launched Umuganda in the Ugandan capital to be carried once every end of month.

The colorful launch of the ‘Kampala goes green with Umuganda’ campaign was also sponsored by The New Times Publications, Daily Monitor and NTV.

The cleaning exercise at Banda parish in Nakawa division started as early as 7am attracting locals and leaders from all over the divisions in Kampala.

Speaking at the ceremony in Kampala, Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Frank Mugambage, called on Africans to have home grown solutions to the problems that they face in their societies.

"Umuganda is an activity that Rwanda has championed and benefited from greatly. It is about collective effort and finding solutions to our problems without expecting support from outside,” Mugambage said.

Elias Lukwago, the Lord Mayor of Kampala City recounted his visit to Gasabo district in 2012 where he participated in Umuganda and added that from what he saw it was a success story all over Rwanda.

He called on residents to emulate Rwanda, adding that his city’s main challenge has been having wonderful ideas but failing to sustain and implement them.

"I’m making a call to all of you to have a culture of responsibility not to litter anyhow and anywhere,” Lukwago added.

RwandAir Country Manager in Uganda, Ada Magezi, said her company will work on sustaining the campaign and work closely with KCCA to identify places to clean in Kampala every end of the month.

"We thought we should give back to the communities. We are going to start involving young entrepreneurs like welders and basket weavers to act as our ambassadors. I can promise that this is not going to be the first and last time,” Magezi added.

The New Times (TNT) Bureau Chief in Kampala, Gashegu Muramira, thanked RwandAir for organising and pledged the company’s full support to many other similar initiatives that involve working and giving back to communities.

Ronald Balimwezo, the Mayor of Nakawa division implored that there was need to sensitise people on their roles and responsibilities, adding that 90 pecent of the diseases are airborne.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw