MPs Task Gov't to Explain City Building Collapse

Kampala | RedPepper Digital – Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oulanyah has tasked the government to provide a detailed report on the perpetual fall of buildings that have claimed the lives of innocent Ugandans.

This followed a matter raised on Tuesday 7, during plenary by Ronald Balimwezo (Nakawa East) who detailed incidents where over four structures have fallen and claimed lives in this year only. He cited two buildings in Kansanga and one along Kampala Road and the recent one in Kisenyi.

Balimwezo hinged his concern on the recent incident after a four storage building along Kisenyi road collapsed killing seven people. The remaining part of the building is still standing with major structural cracks, further creating fear in the City.

“We wanted to know from the Minister of Kampala what mitigation measures have been put in place so that this unsound remaining structure doesn’t cause havoc. Very many buildings are collapsing in the area, what measures have been put in place to make sure there isn’t more collapse of buildings. What has been done to the culprits that have caused the death of the culprits?” asked Balimwezo.

In response, Musa Ecweru, State Minister for Works promised to table the report before Parliament, remarking, “It is true that we have lost people in property, at the Ministry of Works we have an Uganda National Building review Board. When I heard of this, I immediately tasked the Board to quickly come up with answers to what happened and if need be bring culprits to book. I will come with a comprehensive report on what has happened.”

Kampala Capital City Authority has since issued a statement admitting that the deadly structure was illegal and therefore, the Authority couldn’t per take in supervising it and there were numerous notices issued to the developer to stop works, but the owner defied all warnings from KCCA.

“The developer ignored KCCA instructions to halt works with the same impunity exhibited at the recent construction site collapse. These accidents could have been avoided if the developers heeded KCCA’s directives,” read in part KCCA’s statement.

The Authority attributed the perennial fall of buildings to developers employing unqualified personnel, poor work methods, poor materials, inadequate designs among others.

However, many Ugandans blasted KCCA for discriminate application of regulations in the city, with many wondering why the Authority uses much force chasing vendors from streets and watch on as the rich construct deadly buildings in the city.