Kampala — MBARARA mayor, Wilson Tumwine, has advised political leaders and counsellors to keep condoms in public toilets to save more people from contracting HIV/Aids and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Tumwine said many people, especially the youth were afraid of picking condoms from public places and in hospitals where they are given out freely.

"Put a box of condoms in a public toilet. In only a few hours, the box will be empty."

He was addressing politicians and counsellors from various towns countrywide at Bwala Social Centre during the launch of the Alliance of Mayors' Initiative for Community Action of HIV/Aids at the Local Level activities in Masaka last week.

Tumwine said it was surprising that condoms expire in hospitals yet they are given out freely.

He advised counsellors not to over rely on the abstinence campaign, saying many of their clients and the youth, who are their main target, were not willing to comply.

"Tell them about abstinence but do not waste so much time on that because they will not comply. Teach them how to use condoms and make them available where they can easily be accessed."

Masaka Archdeacon Canon Nkambo Mugerwa said although the Church was against the use of condoms, the idea of placing them in public toilets was good.

"We need to keep the people alive so if they do not respond to the abstinence call, maybe in future the will listen. Tumwine's suggestion is not bad."

The municipal council speaker, Denis Lukanga Majwala, represented Masaka mayor John Tebyasa Matovu.