UGANDA, Kampala | Real Muloodi News | The recent spate of collapsing buildings in Kampala has claimed many lives and left many with permanent injuries. It has sparked a debate on who is to be held responsible and who is to blame for collapsing buildings in the capital.
The debate has caused dismay among Kampala residents, as residents and leaders continue to point fingers at each other. Some blame the building owners for allowing the use of low-quality materials. In contrast, others blame the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) who is the legal entity on behalf of the government responsible for the operations of the capital city of Kampala in Uganda.
However, many people don’t realise that there are several bodies responsible for planning and ensuring buildings conform to legal requirements.
These bodies include the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), mandated under the KCCA Act 2010, as amended by the 2019 Act. This Law establishes a Metropolitan Physical Planning Authority for Kampala and adjacent districts, which is mandated to develop Physical Development Plans for the Capital City and the metropolitan area.
Additionally, the National Building Review Board inspects, licenses, and reviews building construction under the Buildings Control Act of 2013 and the National Planning Authority, which is mandated under the National Planning Authority Act 2002.
The Ministry of Gender, Labor, and Social Development’s Department of Occupational Safety and Health ensures that the contractors follow the Construction Safety and Health Act of 2006, which provides guidelines to ensure that employees are healthy and safe at work.
The Building Control Act of 2013 is the law governing the construction of buildings. It provides for building standards, and to establish a National Building Review Board and Building Committees, to promote and ensure planned, decent and safe building structures that are developed in harmony with the environment.
The Physical Planning Act of 2010 also provides for the establishment of a National Physical Planning Board, and governs the Board’s functions, composition, and procedure. This Act provides for the establishment of urban physical planning committees to approve development plans and applications.
Building owners must operate under the laws of the bodies mentioned above, as failure to do so violates regulation laws, which leads to an increase in collapsing buildings.
To ensure proper planning and safe construction sites, both building owners and the mentioned bodies should cooperate and work together.
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