The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has raised alarm over a thriving trade in fake cement in the local market, which has badly affected Uganda’s construction industry.

The warning comes after (UNBS) Laboratory tests showed that some cement on the market is mixed with other substances.

Deus Mubangizi, the Manager of the National Metrology Laboratory at Uganda National Bureau of Standards, told New Vision in an interview on Wednesday that the construction industry has been bombarded with substandard goods like cement which is why some buildings collapse.

“These days’ people get clay or ash and mix it together put a little cement and repackage it using genuine cement bags,” Mubangizi said.

He made the remarks on Wednesday during a stakeholder Dialogue to mark World Consumer Rights Day 2024 at Imperial Royale Hotel.

Mubangizi also revealed that other people are faking vim by mixing Posho and put on top some vim content so that when a person smells it, it smells like vim but in actual sense it is just posho.

“We have the same problem with Jik, curry powder, especially the biggest brands, they get water pour it in their own bottles, fake the genuine labelling and put it on the market,” Mubangizi said.

Mubangizi said this is all happening because the body has no funds to carry out inspections.

“If we stop working, everybody will suffer in this country because they consume these goods. The concerned people should give us funding to inspect and train other people,” Mubangizi said.

The production and sale of counterfeit goods is a global, multi-billion-dollar problem with serious economic and health consequences for the Government, businesses and consumers.

Ugandan local companies lose up to $2m (sh4b) annually to the trade in fake goods.

In 2009, Uganda was ranked one of the region’s largest recipients of counterfeit products, according to the survey conducted by Mohammed Muingai Advocates contracted by the East African Community Secretariat to draft an EAC policy on anti-counterfeiting and anti-piracy.

Mubangizi called the public to safeguard themselves against fake products by buying goods that have a UNBS mark. This certification is an assurance to the consumer that a product is safe and reliable.

The UNBS Act, (2013 amendment) and 2018 regulations emphasise the use of the UNBS distinctive mark, all products covered by compulsory standards must be certified and issued with a distinctive mark before they are allowed on the market.