The City of Windhoek has kicked off its Mayoral Clean-Up Campaign in the Moses //Garoëb Constituency on Saturday.
The cleanup campaign is part of the city's continued commitment to restoring Windhoek's reputation as the cleanest city in Africa.
Leading the campaign, Mayor Sakarias Uunona did not hesitate to get his hands dirty by joining the community members who came out in numbers to participate in the campaign to keep their immediate area clean.
The campaign themed "Go Green, Skip the Plastic" builds on the strong foundation laid by the predecessors and reinforces the city's dedication to environmental stewardship, community participation, and sustainable urban living.
“You know that this is just the beginning. You have also seen that the people are happy, and they are encouraged to see us working alongside them. That creates the motivation to say, ‘If officials can come out of their offices and councillors can join us, why can’t we do it too?’ We are able to do it, and it should become a continuous effort. When you see plastic while you are walking or working, don’t throw it away carelessly. That is the responsibility we are encouraging people to take,” Uunona added.
MTC's Chief Brand, Marketing, Communication, and Sustainability Officer, Tim Ekandjo, called for concerted efforts to educate communities on keeping their areas clean.
“This is to ensure that we speak to our people in the languages they understand and educate them about keeping the environment clean. Your Worship, I believe it is important to remember that it is every Namibian’s responsibility to make sure that we leave this planet in a better condition than we found it, so that future generations can appreciate the things we are able to see today.”
The community of Havana welcomed the initiative.
“Everything went well, and our area is looking clean. I want to thank everyone who came out. I just want to plead with our community members to always keep the area clean,” resident Ester Samuel added.
The Mayoral Clean Up Campaign serves as a call to action for residents, stakeholders, and partners to work together in reducing waste, promoting recycling, and fostering pride in the shared environment and will be carried out in all Windhoek constituencies.