How Africa News
Kigali Cleanest City in Africa
I have often heard Rwanda is generally a clean country and Kigali is regarded the cleanest city in Africa. what I wanted to know is how they have pulled this off. I want to know if they have secrets most of us in Africa are not aware of.
A simple search led me to a few sources sighting a number of things the people in the country do to keep it sqeaky clean. Here is what I found out.
1. The government officially banned the manufacture and use of plastic bags in Rwanda. The ban reduced plastic pollution, one of the biggest challenges for African countries.
The look of a clean road in Kigali
2. People simply do not litter they try to dispose of any litter in the right way. School kids know this too and they do the right thing.
Beautiful Kigali
3. Why aren’t people littering ? well, the leadership of the country take this issue seriously and they lead by example. The leaders are not immune to cleanliness they lead the way and the country follows.
A beautiful house in Kigali
4. President Kagame leads by example, making it mandatory for all Rwandese people of able bodies to participate in a community clean-up day once a month. He comes out himself to do it with the people. He sets the standard.
The cleaning may happen during the mandatory community service day held on the last Saturday of each month called Umuganda meaning community service.
Paul Kagame leading by example
5. The need for cleanliness is taught in grassroots communities like schools, villages and city districts
6. All households are required to build waste disposal pits and basic hygiene facilities. Civic bodies organise larger waste disposal. Dustbins, latrines and other disposal facilities are everywhere. So you don’t have any real excuse to be a litterbug.
[source:sunwords]
