Lira Mobilises Residents for National Cleaning Day Ahead of AFCON 2027

What the report says

Lira City authorities have mobilised schools, businesses, security agencies and residents for a Saturday National Cleaning Day as the city steps up preparations for hosting AFCON 2027 matches at Akii-Bua Olympic Stadium. According to Nile Post, the city has already carried out pre-cleaning work since Monday, focusing on public spaces, business areas and other parts of the municipality ahead of the exercise.

City leaders said a task force was created to coordinate the campaign, bringing together local institutions and security bodies including police, the army and prisons service. Lira City Town Clerk Geoffrey Bamanyisa said most areas had been cleaned and that final inspections were under way before Saturday’s event. He also urged businesses and other premises to have people on site with cleaning tools, stressing that the day should be treated as a civic duty rather than a holiday.

Resident Commissioner Lawrence Egole said security arrangements were being strengthened and encouraged people to take part between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. before resuming normal work. He linked the clean-up drive to broader public health goals, saying cleaner surroundings can help reduce preventable diseases. The city’s environment officer, Leonard Otika, said schools were also involved and that private waste collectors were supporting the effort, though Lira still has limited garbage trucks for its needs.

The preparations are also part of Lira’s wider push to improve sanitation and public facilities before the tournament, which Uganda will co-host with Kenya and Tanzania. Local officials say the event could bring major visitor numbers and offer the city a chance to improve its image and attract investment.