At least one person has been confirmed dead, and several others are feared trapped after an incomplete five-storey building collapsed in Mbale City, in an incident that has drawn sharp criticism from engineers over construction standards.
The collapse occurred in Kachumbala Ward, Namakwekwe Ward, in the Northern Division of the city.
Residents described waking up to a terrifying scene at around 2 a.m., as dust, debris, and cries for help filled the air when the structure gave way. The building reportedly crushed two neighbouring houses, leaving occupants homeless.
Alfred Masaba, one of the survivors who had been staying in the incomplete structure, said there were four occupants at the time. He recounted how he managed to escape after hearing cracking sounds but remains uncertain about the fate of the others.
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"We were sleeping around 2 a.m. when we heard a loud blast," said Robert Okiring, a neighbour whose house was destroyed.
"Children were screaming under the rubble, but I managed to rescue myself and other family members," he added.
Local responders say three men have so far been pulled out alive from the debris. The victims are believed to have been staying in the unfinished building.
A joint emergency response involving the Uganda Red Cross Society, Uganda Police Force, city authorities, and local residents is ongoing. An excavator has been deployed to help clear debris as search efforts continue.
So far, one body has been recovered. Elgon Region Police spokesperson Rogers Taitika identified the deceased as Andrew Wonyakala, 37.
"Investigations have begun, and we are looking for the site engineer to explain," Taitika said.
Experts cite structural failures
Analysts are increasingly pointing to technical failures in the construction process as a likely cause of the collapse.
Dan Mukhwana, a qualified engineer familiar with Mbale's construction sector, said preliminary observations suggest serious structural shortcomings that may have compromised the building's stability.
He noted that casting a solid slab of approximately 500mm thickness without proper load-monitoring systems is a critical error in multi-storey construction.
Mukhwana also pointed to the apparent use of undersized reinforcement bars--estimated at 12mm--instead of the recommended Y16 bars typically specified in approved structural designs.
"The integrity of such a structure depends not only on the design but also on strict adherence to material specifications and the prescribed concrete mix schedule," he explained.
He added that while developers often present compliant structural drawings during the approval stage, deviations during actual construction can significantly weaken a building.
Mukhwana advised developers to deploy qualified quality control personnel on-site to ensure adherence to proper mortar mix ratios and construction standards.
Concerns over enforcement gaps
Beyond technical flaws, Mukhwana raised concerns about what he described as weak enforcement by city authorities, arguing that inadequate supervision may have allowed substandard work to go unchecked.
He claimed that authorities often focus more on issuing development permits and collecting fees--ranging between two and four million shillings for multi-storey buildings--while paying less attention to routine inspections.
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"City engineers do not consistently follow up to supervise construction works despite collecting fees from clients," he said, adding that more proactive oversight could help prevent such incidents.
His concerns were echoed by Northern Division Speaker Robert Kisesi, who condemned poor workmanship and alleged laxity among division engineers. He noted that the collapsed structure was located just metres from division offices.
Mukhwana further observed that the rapid growth in infrastructure development in Mbale City since 2020 may have overwhelmed regulatory bodies, limiting their capacity to effectively monitor all ongoing projects.
As rescue operations continue, the incident has renewed urgent questions about compliance, accountability, and enforcement of safety standards in Uganda's construction sector.
