By Elijah Khisa
Residents of Jambula Kimumbasa and Lufula zones in Kawempe Division have been urged to embrace peaceful coexistence and refrain from activities that fuel gender-based violence (GBV), which often lead to family breakdowns and insecurity.
The call follows concerns raised by community leaders about the living conditions in the two communities, which are characterised by high population density, inadequate public toilets and poor garbage disposal facilities.
The challenges have reportedly contributed to the spread of waterborne diseases and negatively affected residents’ economic productivity.
The concerns were raised on Friday, October 31, 2026, during a joint community clean-up exercise and gender-based violence (GBV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) advocacy and sensitisation workshop organised by Voice of Women Bwaise and Brave Women Kanyanya (BWK), with technical support from International Justice Mission (IJM) Uganda.
The workshop, held under the theme “End Violence Against Women and Children,” aimed at raising awareness about the negative effects of domestic violence and encouraging communities to protect women and children, who are particularly vulnerable to abuse.
Voice of Women Bwaise and Brave Women Kanyanya are community-based organisations working to raise awareness about the prevalence and impact of gender-based violence in their respective communities.
Participants included local council leaders, division political and technical officials, Uganda Police Force officers, civil society organisations, residents and members of the media.
Earlier in the day, Kawempe Division Town Clerk Geoffrey Rwakabare led the division’s national community clean-up exercise in Bwaise II Parish, which was hosted at the Jambula Kimumbasa Zone LC1 offices.
Rwakabare decried the reckless disposal of garbage in surrounding communities, urging the division’s public health department to work closely with local council leaders to sensitise residents about proper waste management practices.
He warned that poor garbage disposal exposes residents to waterborne diseases, which undermine public health and economic productivity.
The LC1 chairpersons of Jambula Kimumbasa and Lufula zones, Nabawanuka Mastulah and Paul Nakibinge, respectively, welcomed the workshop, noting that their communities were grappling with several challenges.
These include increasing cases of domestic violence, gambling among the youth, inadequate public toilets, overcrowded households and poor garbage disposal, which has turned nearby water channels into dumping grounds.
The leaders also appreciated the support provided by IJM Uganda, which they said had created opportunities for identifying and recruiting victims of gender-based violence from surrounding communities.
They said the initiative had enabled survivors to enrol in specialised training on handling GBV cases within households, as well as economic empowerment programmes that have helped transform their lives and promote self-reliance.
The local leaders appealed to the government to strengthen collaboration between local council leadership and the police to ensure timely investigations into GBV-related criminal cases.
They also called on the Judiciary to expedite the prosecution of GBV cases to ensure victims receive timely and fair justice.
Kawempe South Lord Councillor Ali Musa Ssegane, who represented the area Member of Parliament, Madinah Nsereko Ntale, as chief guest, challenged the government to strengthen institutional collaboration to improve service delivery to communities facing challenges such as domestic violence, poverty and inadequate resources to meet household social needs.
Ssegane urged Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) to intensify engagement with local council leaders to address the root causes of poverty and the shortage of public toilets in the area, warning that the situation poses a serious threat to residents’ health.
He pledged to conduct joint investigations with Kawempe Division and KCCA City Hall to establish the circumstances surrounding four public toilet facilities in the parish that were reportedly sold off by previous authorities.
The division’s Community Development Officer, Justus Mujurizi, pledged to work with Voice of Women Bwaise to strengthen its technical capacity to conduct joint sensitisation campaigns on the impact of domestic violence on community livelihoods.
Mujurizi said his office was responsible for handling and addressing GBV cases and would continue working closely with the organisation to equip communities with the skills to identify, document and report cases for possible legal action.
Kawempe Police Division Police Surgeon Keith Muhangi said cases of domestic violence, particularly those involving women and children, were increasing, calling for sustained sensitisation campaigns targeting parents and community leaders.
He commended IJM Uganda for providing technical and logistical support to GBV victims, many of whom face financial constraints that limit their ability to pursue justice through the courts of law.
Residents who attended the workshop appreciated the knowledge acquired on practical ways of addressing the root causes of domestic violence and pledged to strengthen collaboration with local council leaders, division authorities and civil society organisations to promote peaceful and safer communities.
