Engineers of shoddy work face fines

Local contractors who cause injury and death to site workers after their building collapsed will be penalised sh20m, the state minister of works, John Byabagambi said last week.

The minister said the high rate of collapsing buildings in the city is worrying the Government.This, he added, called for the building and construction law to be enacted.
Byabagambi said the Building and Construction Bill will soon be tabled in Parliament.

He was speaking during the 18th Uganda National Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors annual general meeting at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala.

The minister attributed the collapsing buildings to shoddy work by unscrupulous local contractors. He said the owners of collapsing buildings will be held responsible.

“They are liable for punishment because they don’t employ professionals and sometimes influence site engineers to change the building plan,” Byabagambi said.

He pointed out that the construction industry is still faced with challenges such as lack of human resource, inadequate infrastructure, out-dated laws and unqualified personnel.

The minister warned contractors against financial indiscipline after being awarded contracts by not squandering it into another venture. “You should not divert government funds to buy cars after receiving advanced payment,” Byabagambi warned. He cited a contractor whose head flew to London after receiving an advance payment and disappeared for three months.

He appealed to the contractors to stick to the job they have been assigned.
Byabagambi said the Government was enacting a law, requiring engineers to be registered and given practicing licenses.