UNBS Blames Value Chain for Underweight Cement

Complaints about underweight cement bags are linked to tampering and contamination along the supply chain rather than underfilling by licensed manufacturers, the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has said. The bureau says all six authorised cement manufacturers produce cement that meets the required quality and quantity standards, but some bags are allegedly siphoned, adulterated or otherwise interfered with after leaving the factory.

The explanation follows widespread public concern triggered by viral videos showing cement bags weighing between 40 and 42 kilogrammes instead of the standard 50 kilogrammes. The videos sparked debate over product quality and consumer protection, with one consumer who shared such footage later arrested over allegations of damaging a cement brand. 

Construction industry players have also alleged that some traders buy empty branded sacks, remove cement from original bags, or mix genuine cement with fillers such as clay dust and sand. Speaking to journalists at the UNBS headquarters in Bweyogerere, Executive Director Engineer James Kasigwa said the integrity of cement is often compromised by actors elsewhere in the value chain, including transporters, traders, engineers and masons.

“We have been working with the six manufacturers to ensure good quality and quantity, but the problem comes from other parts of the value chain—transporters, stores, engineers and masons. Cement can easily be reduced or contaminated after leaving the factory,” Kasigwa said.

Kasigwa said it was unfortunate that complaints about product quality and quantity continue to persist despite UNBS being mandated to develop, promote and enforce standards for quality, safety, health, environmental protection, consumer protection, fair trade and competitive local products. He argued that maintaining standards should not be left to UNBS alone, saying manufacturers, transporters, traders and consumers all have a role to play in protecting product integrity.

The UNBS boss also acknowledged that the bureau is constrained by inadequate laboratory capacity, staff shortages and outdated testing technology, saying the institution is currently operating at only about 50 percent of its required capacity. “We need to automate our systems and get modern technology. Right now we destroy a tyre to test it. If you buy four tyres and we cut one, you lose it. With non-destructive technology we can test without damage, certify faster, and support trade and industry better,” he said.

Kasigwa added that UNBS is also working to develop standards for products that currently do not have them, including fruit wine and other emerging locally manufactured goods.

UNBS Deputy Executive Director Patricia Bageine Ejalu said the bureau needs specialised equipment to speed up product testing and certification. She noted that businesses currently wait up to 14 days to receive certification results.

Addressing concerns about certification costs, Ejalu said small and medium-sized enterprises are charged Shs500,000 per product while medium and large firms pay Shs1 million. She explained that the fees are largely used to operate existing laboratories, leaving little funding for investment in modern technology even as businesses continue to complain that the costs are too high.

Ejalu said UNBS plans to review and lower certification fees to encourage more businesses to seek certification, which would in turn increase laboratory revenue. She also urged young innovators to focus on perfecting one product at a time rather than launching multiple products that attract additional certification costs.