Clean City, Hard Choices: Bamenda City Council’s Major Cleanup Brings Hope for Order, Fear for Livelihoods
The Bamenda City Council has stepped up efforts to restore cleanliness and order across the city, launching an intensified sanitation campaign along Commercial Avenue as part of preparations for the upcoming papal visit scheduled for April 16, 2026.
On Monday, March 23, closed to 100 youth volunteers were deployed along the usually busy but Monday ghosted stretch from City Chemist to T Junction, clearing makeshift structures, roadside stalls, and accumulated waste that have long congested one of Bamenda’s busiest commercial corridors.
Speaking during the operation, Rev. Ndifon Peterson Kimbu, Head of Cleaning Mission at the city council and Mezam Divisional President of the Cameroon National Youth Council, described the initiative as both timely and necessary.
“We are working with over 600 young volunteers to ensure Bamenda is absolutely clean,” he said. “This is not just because of the Pope’s visit. We want to build a culture of cleanliness that continues even after the visit.”
Cross Section of Commercial Avenue Before the Clean Up.
According to Rev. Kimbu, the exercise forms part of a four-month renewable project aimed at sustaining sanitation efforts citywide. He added that prior notices had been issued to street vendors to vacate unauthorized spaces, warning that items removed during the exercise would only be reclaimed upon payment of fines.
The campaign, which began on March 16, 2026, has strategically taken advantage of Monday “ghost town” observances when business activity is minimal to carry out large-scale cleaning operations. Beyond waste removal, the city council is also promoting waste sorting at the source, separating biodegradable from non-biodegradable materials for improved disposal management.
Authorities say the initiative is not only about hygiene but also about decongestion. Commercial Avenue has long been plagued by traffic bottlenecks caused by roadside trading. “By removing these structures, we are also improving traffic flow and creating space for proper parking,” Rev. Kimbu explained.
However, while many residents acknowledge the benefits of the exercise, the operation has sparked mixed reactions among local business owners.
Shafe Augustine, a trader at the Main Market, described the cleanup as a double-edged sword.
“The good side is that the street will be cleaner and more accessible,” he said. “But the negative side is that many families will suffer. Vendors have lost their means of livelihood, and there was no clear alternative provided.”
He called on authorities to consider compensation or relocation plans for displaced traders, warning that the economic impact could be severe, especially amid rising living costs.
Other affected vendors echoed similar concerns. One business owner, who requested anonymity, questioned the sustainability of the initiative. “Is it going to last?” the vendor asked. “Without consistent follow-up, people will return to the streets, and everything will go back to how it was.”
Another female trader lamented the manner in which the operation was conducted, alleging that some properties were destroyed or taken without consideration. “We support development, but there should be humanity in how it is done,” she said. “These are the tools we use to survive daily.”
Despite the concerns, city authorities maintain that the operation is essential for long-term urban development and public health. They also insist that repeated warnings were issued through market authorities and local media prior to the enforcement phase.
As Bamenda prepares to welcome the Pope, the sanitation drive highlights a broader challenge faced by rapidly growing cities by balancing modernization and public order with the livelihoods of informal sector workers. Whether the initiative will achieve lasting change remains to be seen, but for now, the streets of Commercial Avenue are witnessing one of the most ambitious cleanup efforts in recent years.
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