The Rumbek town municipality in Rumbek County of Lakes State has launched a massive clean-up exercise to rid the town of garbage.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj during the exercise launched at Rumbek market on Thursday, Rumbek Town Mayor Peter Maliap Chieny called on traders and residents to join the cleanup drive.
“We are approaching Christmas and the end of the year, and this needs all of us to keep the town clean from garbage,” Mayor Maliap said.” The festive season is around the corner, and we expect more visitors to come to Rumbek from the diaspora, Juba and other parts of the country.”
The local official said an unclean environment could result in devastating health effects, which may include waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid and dysentery. He urged the residents to take part in clearing garbage heaps in various parts of the town to avert possible disease outbreaks.
“What the town council is doing is part of development; our environment should be clean,” he said. “The general cleaning of the environment will not end only in Rumbek town, but it will be extended to all areas so that every place becomes clean.”
Meanwhile, Abuod Maker, the municipality’s Chief Executive Officer, said:” Our purpose of the cleanup exercise is to implement the local order from the town mayor to keep Rumbek town clean because Christmas is approaching and many visitors will be coming this year to celebrate here.”
Several towns in South Sudan lack a proper system for waste management.