80 arrested over lack of latrines in Budaka

Police in Budaka District have arrested over 80 residents over lack of toilets/latrines in their homes.

The residents were arrested on Thursday during an operation by the district health department and Police aimed at improving toilet coverage, which has resulted into poor sanitation and hygiene.

Mr Max Oswamu, the district health inspector, said Budaka District is one of the districts with low latrine coverage in the country.

“The situation is appalling and unacceptable. Most of those we arrested had no latrines and this implies they were using the bush as an alternative which is dangerous,” Mr Oswamu said, adding that the most affected sub counties were Nyanza, Kamonkoli, and Kiralaka.

The arrested are currently detained at Mugiti police station.

Mr Oswamu said this will act as a lesson to others but urged residents to construct latrines to prevent the outbreak of sanitation related diseases.

The statistics indicate that about 30 percent of the population in Budaka district lack latrines.

The district chairperson, Mr Sam Mulomi, told Daily Monitor that the operation continue so as to ensure that every homestead owns a pit-latrine.

“We have discovered that most of the people including highly learned leaders also have no latrines. You cannot be a leader and yet you don’t have a pit latrine,” he said.

He explained that low latrine coverage and water scarcity had impeded the efforts to improve sanitation and hygiene in the district.

He added that the district will implement and enforce the by-laws to compel each household to own a pit latrine.

“This will be a significant move in the fight against diseases that are caused by poor sanitation and hygiene,” he said.