On Saturday, 27th July 2024, as I caught up with my reading and writing, a public address system came alive at the football field nearby, at Kiwafu West, Division B, Entebbe Municipality, Wakiso District. Initially, I was irritated. The crew that was testing the equipment turned it up so loud, the loudest it felt. I thought, there is going to be a football match and so busts of noise pollution are to be expected throughout the day. Thankfully, I was wrong.

Shortly after, I heard what I thought was a matching band leading a procession. I went out of the gate to see what the procession was all about, because I had heard something about “bulungi bwansi”. Directly translated from Luganda to English it means “for the good of the earth”. Luganda is the language of the largest first nation of Uganda, the Buganda Kingdom.

Back to why I thought the day wasn’t a typical one, but it should be. According to Omuwandiisi wa (Secretary of) Mutuba V – Nakiwogo, Ms. Namutyaba Elizabeth, the bulungi bwansi initiative was formally fully revived in schools in Entebbe in 2016. Mutuba V – Nakiwogo is how Division B in Entebbe Municipality is named within Buganda Kingdom.

Bulungi bwansi – activities aimed to help improve the health, wealth and standards of living of the people – is rooted in the traditions of the Buganda Kingdom for centuries. According to Ssentebbe (Chairperson) of bulungi bwansi of Mutuba V – Nakiwogo, Hon. Mawejje Teophil Henry, it can be traced way back to the 1850s.

It is a practice in which the Kababaka (King of Buganda) decrees days for joint community action for the greater good. Be it cleaning wells, clearing tall grass from the footpaths or roads, sweeping and collecting rubbish, tree planting, among other activities.

Ssabasajja Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II, the 36th and current King of Buganda, is following in the traditions of the past kings of Buganda in promoting bulungi bwansi, especially so among young children and the youth – for example, as reported by The Independent, “Buganda subjects urged to promote community service among youngsters”

Owekitibwa Paul Sserumaga, Mutuba V – Nakiwogo Kabaka’s Representative (left), officiating as the Guest of Honour at the activities at Kiwafu West Football field. On his immediat right is the LC III Chairperson of Division A, Entebbe Municipality; and next to her the LC III Chairperson of Division B, Entebbe Municipality.

Ms. Namutyaba, also happens to be the Deputy Head Teacher of Sacred Heart Bugonga Primary School. As we chatted, she enlightened me on what the day was about. Led by Hon. Mawejje, on Saturday, pupils of schools in Entebbe took the lead in cleaning the municipality.

In addition, there was an exhibition, at the Kiwafu West football field, showcasing how Entebbe schools are incalcuting among their pupils the culture of bulungi bwansi through efficient waste management and economically lucurative waste recycling. I was so impressed.

I had never thought of paper tubes used in toilet paper rolls as a great waste recycle ingrediet for a desk organiser. I did not have time to ask, but I intend to visit The Early Learning Primary School in Entebbe, at Katabi-Busambaga to ask if they would welcome a monthly supply of my toilet paper roll tubes to recycle. I will update you when I have an answer, with the view of setting up a toilet paper tube collecting system for recycling.

A pupil of The Early Learning Primary School, proudly shows a desk organiser made of recycled paper tubes of toilet paper rolls, card board and cloth.

As I chatted with the Director and Founder of The Early Learning Primary School, Ms. Agnes Biryahwaho, my interest to want to see more of the high quality products from recycled waste her pupils are making was enhanced. Products, such as the cobweb remover made out of pastic bottles, that caught my attention. I will go ready to purchase some of their functional products and which I thought at the exhibition were priced reasonably.

Then there were the products made by the pupils of Kiwafu Muslim School, which included useful educational tools (counters – small balls made of recycled paper) and as well as for domestic use (door mats, flower vases, and others). While her pupils had lunch, I chatted with the Deputy Headteacher of Kiwafu Muslim, Ms. Ndikuwa Zamu, who educated me on how they are using bulungi bwansi not only for environment conservation.

Kiwafu Muslim Primary School and other schools in Entebbe are using bulungi bwansi also to skill their pupils with pratical artisanal skills which they can use for income generation. We ended our chat with headteacher Zamu with a promise that I will visit the school to explore more and possibilities for partnerships. I intend to visit soon.

The pupils who participated in the bulungi bwansi activities on Saturday did not disappoint. Throught the function at the Kiwafu West football field they did not litter. You may think this an obvious practice that is typical, but it isn’t.

Pupils collecting plastic bottles during the events at Kiwafu West Football field.

Every time there is an event at the football field, be it a crusade or a ‘developmental meeting’ or a football match, we the neighbours await siginficant quatities of rubish to be generated and left behind. Especially plastic bottles, plastic wrappers and single use plastic bags.

Littering in Kiwafu West, moreover, is not only during events at the football field. Passerbys throw rubish whereever; without concern; and they expect others to clean up after them.

In fact, in Uganda, we do not have mandatory bulungi bwansi days, as is the case, for example, in Rwanda, where “Umuganda” is mandatory – on the last Saturday of every month there is mandatory nationwide communtiy service, including cleaning the commons.

Bulungi bwansi should be promoted and or legislated in Uganda to become the typical everyday at home and in the wider community. A change of attitude towards waste – the biodegradable one to be used as feeds or as manure, among others; and the non-biodegradable one to be recycled and or destroyed in environmentally friendly ways.

A mindset change towards waste to perceive it as an income generating activitiy. This is on my mind to be promoted under:

• CPAR Uganda “Uganda women’s economic empowerment loan fund” project for which we are fundraising. To learn more and make a donation, click here.
• Private Sector Fundation Uganda’s implemented Government “Generating growth opportunities and productivity for women enterprises (GROW)” project.

When I visit the schools, this week, I look forward to chatting with the amazing headteachers that I met and the other staff of the schools to explore partnership possibilities. Mutuba V – Nakiwogo, Entebbe, Uganda, let sorting of our waste with recycling in mind become normal and typical in our daily lives as it is the case in other parts of the world. Let bulungi bwansi days become the typical day, every day.

Profiled photo Deputy Headteacher of Kiwafu Muslim, Ms. Ndikuwa Zamu, at the exhibition.