Strictly enforce building standards
Mar 15, 2009
KAMPALA City Council’s (KCC) decision to suspended construction works for nine building sites pending their evaluation is a step in the right direction.
KAMPALA City Council’s (KCC) decision to suspended construction works for nine building sites pending their evaluation is a step in the right direction.
Over the past few months, there have been a spate of accidents at building sites in the city, in which over 10 people have died and several others injured.
It is also evident that the city is undergoing serious redevelopment with construction of hundreds of high-rise commercial buildings.
Scores of streets have been completely rebuilt.
While the redevelopment of the city is a welcome development and shows a growing economy, it is very disturbing that the construction of these new buildings is not strictly monitored.
There is a complete lack of enforcement of building standards in the city. Majority of the new buildings even along Kampala Road do not have parking. And some of the so called shopping arcades do not provide for adequate safety and sanitation facilities, which expose thousands of people who operate or shop from these arcades to great danger.
The KCC authorities are certainly to blame for this chaos.
The authorities are indecisive and in some cases reckless Early this year, KCC warned that it would close down commercial buildings without parking space if the developers did not carry out necessary corrective measures. The warning turned out to be empty.
To date, the city authorities have not taken any step to compel the developers to comply with the necessary building standards.
The KCC must stop procrastinating and do what it is supposed to do — rigorously enforce the building standards in the city.
The city’s political leaders supposed to provide solutions to the problems ravaging the city, instead appears to be part of the problem. At times the city’s political leaders have restrained or obstructed the bureaucrats from taking necessary action out of political consideration.
Good leadership is not about seeking cheap popularity, but the ability to take hard decisions and doing the right thing, even though it may not be popular. KCC needs leaders and not populists.
Over the past few months, there have been a spate of accidents at building sites in the city, in which over 10 people have died and several others injured.
It is also evident that the city is undergoing serious redevelopment with construction of hundreds of high-rise commercial buildings.
Scores of streets have been completely rebuilt.
While the redevelopment of the city is a welcome development and shows a growing economy, it is very disturbing that the construction of these new buildings is not strictly monitored.
There is a complete lack of enforcement of building standards in the city. Majority of the new buildings even along Kampala Road do not have parking. And some of the so called shopping arcades do not provide for adequate safety and sanitation facilities, which expose thousands of people who operate or shop from these arcades to great danger.
The KCC authorities are certainly to blame for this chaos.
The authorities are indecisive and in some cases reckless Early this year, KCC warned that it would close down commercial buildings without parking space if the developers did not carry out necessary corrective measures. The warning turned out to be empty.
To date, the city authorities have not taken any step to compel the developers to comply with the necessary building standards.
The KCC must stop procrastinating and do what it is supposed to do — rigorously enforce the building standards in the city.
The city’s political leaders supposed to provide solutions to the problems ravaging the city, instead appears to be part of the problem. At times the city’s political leaders have restrained or obstructed the bureaucrats from taking necessary action out of political consideration.
Good leadership is not about seeking cheap popularity, but the ability to take hard decisions and doing the right thing, even though it may not be popular. KCC needs leaders and not populists.