The collapsed building at Holy City Church ,Bwerenga near Entebbe left one dead in Kampala
By Jazeerah Namirembe
ENTEBBE. The National Building Review Board (NBRB) has revealed that the collapsed building at Pastor Ronnie Makabai’s Holy City Church in Bwerenga, Wakiso District, had structural design defects, poor workmanship and no approved building permit .
The four-storey building collapsed on Monday, killing one person and injuring 25 others.
In its preliminary findings released Wednesday, the Board said the reinforced concrete extension first tilted before tipping over and collapsing completely.
“The columns, beams and floors were uneven and irregular in shape and this suggested poor workmanship and a lack of supervision by a qualified professional,” the Board stated.
Investigators discovered unusually large concrete beams measuring up to 60 centimetres by 60 centimetres, some spanning more than six metres without intermediate support, raising concerns about the structural design.
They also found that steel reinforcement bars embedded in the concrete floor slabs varied in size and were irregularly spaced, potentially compromising the building’s strength.
“The board adds that its collapse is highly related to possible design problems with very large concrete beams,” the preliminary findings stated.
Crucially, investigators found no building permit or approved construction drawings at the site, raising questions about regulatory oversight by Katabi Town Council.
The Board classified the extension, comprising a ground floor and three upper floors, as a Class A building, requiring the highest level of regulatory approval and professional supervision.
“Under the building rules, it is a Class A building, which means it requires the highest level of approval and professional oversight,” the Board said.
The extension, which was attached to an existing steel-framed church hall, had reached the finishing stage, with workers laying terrazzo flooring when it collapsed.
Investigators also observed an absence of construction-site safety measures.
The disaster claimed the life of builder Francis Lukwago, while 25 people were rescued and taken for treatment at Kisubi and Entebbe Grade B hospitals.
NBRB Communications Manager Herbert Zziwa said investigators were examining the construction materials and verifying compliance with building regulations.
“Investigators were collecting samples of cement, steel and concrete for laboratory testing to establish the strength and quality of the materials used,” Zziwa said.
The findings raise the possibility of criminal liability under Section 45 of the Building Control Act, 2013, which provides penalties of up to 12 years’ imprisonment for construction-related negligence resulting in death, injury or property damage.
However, responsibility for the Holy City Church collapse has not yet been established.
The incident adds to growing concerns over enforcement of construction standards following deadly building collapses in Mbale and Kampala earlier this year, where authorities also identified irregular construction practices and inadequate professional supervision.