KAMPALA — Rt. Hon. Rose Namayanja Nsereko, the Deputy Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), has urged Seventh-day Adventists (SDA) to observe their Sabbath without interruption despite the government’s directive requiring citizens to participate in the National Cleaning Day exercise.
The National Cleaning Day Exercise will take place on Saturday, 25th July, from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
To facilitate the exercise, the movement of vehicles and pedestrians will be restricted during this period. Members of the public are encouraged to remain at home and actively participate in cleaning their homes and surrounding areas.
Namayanja said following the consultations with the Office of the Prime Minister regarding the implementation of Cabinet Circular No. 1 of 2026 on National Cleaning Days, Seventh Day Adventists are free to worship without hindrance.
In a statement issued on Friday, she assured Seventh-day Adventist faithful that they should “proceed to worship tomorrow, Saturday, 25 July, without hindrance.”
The decision recognizes the denomination’s observance of the Sabbath, which begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday, during which members refrain from secular activities in accordance with their religious beliefs.
Namayanja said consultations are ongoing to determine when Seventh-day Adventists will participate in the nationwide cleaning exercise. The options being considered include carrying out the exercise on Friday before the Sabbath begins or on Sunday after it ends.
She added that the outcome of the consultations will be communicated once a final decision has been reached.
The clarification comes as the government rolls out the National Cleaning Days aimed at promoting sanitation and environmental cleanliness across the country while accommodating religious observance.
In another statement issued by Pastor Samuel Kajoba the President, Uganda Union Mission of Seventh-day Adventist Church said that the Church leadership is actively engaging the Government in a spirit of mutual respect to seek an amicable solution that upholds both the national objective and our constitutional freedom of worship.
Among the proposals presented is that Seventh-day Adventist members participate in the cleaning exercise on either Friday or Sunday, as may be agreed upon by both parties.
”I therefore encourage every member to remain united, respectful toward those in authority, faithful to God’s commandments, and persistent in prayer as we await the outcome of these engagements. We are confident that the Lord, who has always preserved His church, will grant wisdom and lead us to a peaceful and God-honoring resolution” Kajoba said in statement released on Friday
