Precursor for Sunday Law?

On 24th of July 2026, Pastor Kajoba Samuel, President of the Uganda Union Mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, wrote a letter to church members to update them on discussions with the Government over the National Cleaning Days which commenced on Sabbath 25th July 2026.

This initiative is a meaningful reminder that caring for our environment is both a civic responsibility and a Christian calling. It also provides an opportunity for individuals, families, churches, businesses, and local communities to work together in creating cleaner, healthier, and more beautiful surroundings. However, the fact that all these days will not only take place on the last Sabbath of the month, between the hours of 7.00am and 10.00am, but there is also a requirement for all citizens to take part. During the three hours when the cleaning is scheduled to take place, traffic restrictions will also be in force and as a result our church members are facing a situation where they will be unable to attend Sabbath School and may face consequences should they refuse to engage in the cleaning exercise.

The Government of Uganda has strengthened efforts to improve sanitation through the implementation of National Cleaning Day by encouraging regular community clean-up exercises, promoting proper waste management, and mobilising local leaders, institutions, and citizens to participate actively. Local governments, Resident City Commissioners (RCCs), Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), Local Council leaders, and environmental officers work together to coordinate these activities and promote compliance with public health and environmental standards.

Implementation is supported by existing public health and environmental laws that require individuals, households, businesses, and institutions to maintain clean premises and dispose of waste responsibly. Enforcement may include inspections, public awareness campaigns, community mobilisation, and, where necessary, penalties for those who repeatedly fail to comply with sanitation regulations. These measures are intended not simply to punish but to encourage a lasting culture of cleanliness and shared responsibility.

Among the Uganda Union Mission’s proposals to the Government of Uganda is that Seventh-day Adventist church members be allowed to participate in the cleaning exercise on Friday or Sunday, subject to mutual agreement. This initiative shows that the challenges Sabbath keepers may face in these last days are not limited to enforced Sunday worship; they may also include enforced Sabbath-breaking. Let us continue to pray that God will lead His church in Uganda at this time and that the outcome will be for His glory.