Kakiri Town Council authorities in Wakiso District have launched a tree-planting campaign aimed at restoring degraded areas, increasing vegetation cover and promoting environmental conservation across the town council.
The initiative was officially launched at the Kakiri Town Council headquarters during a ceremony attended by local leaders from various villages, residents and other stakeholders.
Speaking at the launch, Kakiri Town Council Chairperson Moses Bagala said the campaign seeks to replace trees that have been cut down over the years due to increasing human activities and development in the area.
Bagala expressed concern over the continued destruction of trees, warning that environmental degradation poses a serious threat to community well-being.
“We have launched this tree-planting campaign to restore the trees that have been destroyed across our town council. We encourage all residents to embrace this initiative by collecting seedlings and planting them in their communities,” Bagala said.
He revealed that the council intends to plant trees along major roads and in other public spaces to improve the area's appearance while contributing to environmental protection.
Bagala also appealed to financially capable individuals, business owners and other stakeholders to support the campaign by purchasing additional tree seedlings to help expand the exercise.
The chairperson further urged residents to actively participate in government-designated community cleaning exercises held on the last Saturday of every month.
He noted that maintaining a clean environment requires collective responsibility and should not be left entirely to local authorities.
“Environmental protection is everyone's responsibility. We want our people to participate in tree planting and the monthly cleaning exercises because these activities are essential in keeping our communities clean and protecting the environment,” Bagala added.
Kakiri Town Council Town Clerk Edward Senteza said the council plans to distribute different species of tree seedlings to interested residents to encourage widespread participation in the campaign.
Senteza explained that the initiative is open to all residents willing to contribute to environmental restoration.
“We are going to plant different types of trees across the town council, and every resident who is willing and able to plant trees will be given an opportunity to participate in this programme,” Senteza said.
Several residents who attended the launch welcomed the initiative and commended the town council leadership for prioritising environmental conservation.
However, they raised concerns about poor garbage collection, particularly following the monthly community cleaning exercises.
The residents complained that despite participating in the cleaning activities, heaps of uncollected garbage are often left along roadsides, creating sanitation challenges and undermining efforts to maintain a clean environment.
They appealed to the town council authorities to establish a reliable garbage collection system to ensure that waste collected during community cleaning exercises is promptly removed and properly disposed of.
In response, Senteza assured residents that the council would make every effort to improve garbage collection and disposal.
He acknowledged the importance of proper waste management in protecting public health and maintaining cleanliness throughout the town council.
The tree-planting campaign comes amid efforts by local authorities to encourage greater community participation in environmental conservation and sanitation.
The initiative is expected to help restore vegetation cover, improve the appearance of Kakiri Town Council and promote a cleaner, greener and healthier environment for residents.