Engineers urge government to expedite professional laws

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Engineers under their umbrella body of the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) on Wednesday, March 4, 2025, celebrated World Engineering Day with a call for the government to fast-track the Engineering Professionals Bill 2024 so that it is passed into law.

Henry Alinaitwe, the chairman of the Uganda Engineers Registration Board (ERB) said the government should fast-track the Bill so that it is passed into law to regulate the sector which is faced with several challenges including quacks and unregistered engineers who carry out shoddy works.

The objects of the Bill which has since gone through the first reading stage in Parliament include establishing the Uganda Institution of Engineering Professionals and to provide for the registration and licensing for engineers, technologists and technicians repealing the Engineers Registration Act.

Other objectives of the Bill include providing for membership of the Institution and council as the governing body and also to provide for the establishment of the Engineering Professionals Board and its functions and membership.

Alinaitwe, also a don at Makerere University, appealed to the government to make use of the engineers in the country and only outsource when there is inadequacy.

“I don’t think there is need for the government institutions to continue outsourcing yet we have people with skills who can ably and competently execute the engineering works,” Alinaitwe said.

Alinaitwe also underscored the need to have those outsourced register with ERB noting that this has not been complied with in most cases.

Drawing from incidents of collapsing buildings, Alinaitwe also warned engineers against shoddy works, cost overrun, time overruns and unjustifiably high infrastructure costs saying it is affecting the sector.

Presiding over the event, the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja pledged to ensure that the Bill is enacted into law since it seeks to address issues such as the low registration of practicing engineers, technologists, technicians and artisans and bring more of them into formalised professional practice.

“As the Leader of Government Business in Parliament, I am pushing for legislative reforms to strengthen the engineering profession. The Engineering Professionals Bill, 2024 is currently before the Physical Infrastructure Committee of Parliament and many engineers have contributed their views. For those who have not yet had the opportunity, I encourage you to engage constructively with the committee,” Nabbanja said.

Drawing from the theme of the event “shaping our sustainable future through engineering”, Nabbanja said the National Resistance Movement (NRM) remains committed to enhancing science, technology and innovation in order to generate the required momentum for value addition, industrialisation and socio-economic transformation.

“We understand that to develop our nation, we must increase investment into the utilisation of science, technology and innovation (STI). Through various programmes of the NDPIV, we aim to ensure that our country produces a generation of scientists and engineers who are equipped to drive our development forward. We are also focused on improving the professional practice of engineering in Uganda,” Nabbanja said.

Citing several projects which she has visited across the country such as Karuma Hydro Power project, Kampala City Roads Rehabilitation project, Kira-Kasangati-Matugga road upgrading project among others, Nabbanja applauded the engineers for the remarkable engineering works.

Nabbanja, however, cautioned the engineers against shoddy works, unnecessary delays, slow response times from supervising, high construction costs and exaggerated land acquisition costs.

Nabbanja revealed that she has since issued policy directives to address some of them because they not only undermine the integrity of the engineering profession but also hamper the country's sustainable development.

“I urge engineers not merely to celebrate but to come together and develop actionable solutions to these pressing challenges. I further call upon all engineers to take proactive measures to address these challenges that threaten to derail the nobility of your profession,” Nabbanja noted.

As the country looks forward to the commencement of the National Development Programme IV in July this year, Nabbanja urged the engineers to contribute effectively to the implementation of the country’s development agenda, which will require professional engineering solutions for various development programs.

Nabbanja also appealed to the engineers’ body to embrace government programs such as the 10-Fold Growth Strategy and PDM saying “the future is promising under the NRM with improvements in the legal framework and enhanced remuneration for engineers because there are numerous upcoming projects across various sectors that will require your expertise and innovation.”

Number of women engineers still low

Rosie Agoi, the secretary general of the Uganda National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) revealed that the World Engineering Day was established in 2020 by UNESCO to celebrate engineers and engineering worldwide specifically to highlight sustainability and women in engineering.

Agoi however raised concern over the number of women in the engineering sector saying it is still low.

“We have a few female students taking on the engineering courses but many don’t enter into the workforce after graduating due to gender stereotypes and thus the gender gap remains an issue we must address,” Agoi said.

The Minister of State for Works and Transport Musa Ecweru asked the engineers to vote for President Museveni in the forthcoming 2026 general elections to guarantee a conducive environment for the country.

“We have engineers in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) like you but they cannot practice. I ask you to vote for President Yoweri Museveni in 2026 to guarantee peace in the country. Even when you have a hard heart, you have no option but to say thank you to him,” Ecweru said.

During the event, the engineers body also launched their electronic licensing system to ease the application and licensing processes.