What became of Bwebajja report?
Mar 08, 2006
SIR – On September 1, 2004 at the site of M/s J&M Airport Road Hotel Apartments & Leisure Centre Project in Bwebajja, a building under construction suddenly collapsed, resulting into 11 deaths and 26 injuries.
SIR – On September 1, 2004 at the site of M/s J&M Airport Road Hotel Apartments & Leisure Centre Project in Bwebajja, a building under construction suddenly collapsed, resulting into 11 deaths and 26 injuries. Due to Government concern and public outcry, the Government set up a nine-person technical committee chaired by Eng Dr Jackson Mwakali. This committee was tasked with investigating, establishing the cause of the accident and making recommendations. The committee found out that the project had been implemented informally, overlooking a lot of vital technical processes that resulted into the accident. It also found that the project had been deprived of qualified and experienced consultants and contractors in the relevant fields and that the laws impacting on the construction industry had not been adhered to. In addition to the absence of approved plans, the root cause of the collapse of the building was found to be weak columns as a result of using undersized columns, insufficient steel reinforcement and poor concrete. The committee made some recommendations, which included suspension of construction of the affected building, compensation of the injured and the dead and engagement of qualified professionals to carry out a thorough evaluation of the complex to ascertain the safety of the buildings for public use.
In light of the above recommendations, one would have expected the Ministry of Works, Housing and Communications (MOWHC), the superintendent and overall overseer of the construction industry in Uganda, to have assured the public and all stakeholders in the sector that the above recommendations had been addressed before authorising resumption of construction at the site. Unfortunately, this was not done and yet construction resumed at the site almost immediately. This heightens the general public’s concern as far as the safety of the venture is concerned and the concern of stakeholders in the construction industry in Uganda in as far as this dents the public’s confidence in the construction sector in Uganda. We therefore call upon the MOWHC to address these concerns.
FX Mubuuke
Executive Secretary
UNABCEC
In light of the above recommendations, one would have expected the Ministry of Works, Housing and Communications (MOWHC), the superintendent and overall overseer of the construction industry in Uganda, to have assured the public and all stakeholders in the sector that the above recommendations had been addressed before authorising resumption of construction at the site. Unfortunately, this was not done and yet construction resumed at the site almost immediately. This heightens the general public’s concern as far as the safety of the venture is concerned and the concern of stakeholders in the construction industry in Uganda in as far as this dents the public’s confidence in the construction sector in Uganda. We therefore call upon the MOWHC to address these concerns.
FX Mubuuke
Executive Secretary
UNABCEC