Homesteads in Jinja who fail to abide by public health communal regulations are to face a jail sentence of three months and a fine of thirty thousand shillings, as the district council resolves to implement a by -law passed in 2005.
Dr Peter Dyogo, Jinja District Health Officer, says the district public health ordinance was passed but has not been implemented. It stipulates that any person found not having an eating utensils stand and a toilet, and one who fails to carry out communal cleaning will face the punishment.
It also adds that parents and guardians who fail to provide children in their custody with medical care also face a maximum jail sentence of six months and a fine of fifty thousand shillings.
Dyogo says Jinja district latrine coverage has dropped from 63 percent five years ago, to 49 percent on average.
Fred Ngobi Gume, Jinja district chairperson, says the by-law is intended to promote better public health standards in communities in Jinja district as well as protect people from falling sick from poor public hygiene and sanitation.
He adds that the law would also help enhance a successful implementation of public health programs by ensuring that good health begins at home.
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He says the district will work together with the lower local councils in Jinja to promote the by-law on public health.
Abdul Batambuze, Bugembe town council town clerk, says the law will help town councils like Bugembe that don’t have enough funds to promote good public health activities such as garbage collection. Bugembe town council spends less than 10 million shillings to promot public health in the community annually.
But Asan Kibwika, a resident of Mafubira Zone C in Jinja Municipality, does not agree with the law. He says local government officials will use the law to squander money allocated for cleaning the communities.
While he supports the construction of latrines and utensil stalls, Kibwika does not agree with compulsory general cleaning in towns.
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Godfrey Kyalo, Chairman Local Council One Nakabango village, says the law is very good and that he will help promote it in his village by mobilizing the residents to construct toilets, eating utensils stalls and participate in communal cleaning.
