CID Joins Probe Into Buziga Building Collapse

The Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) has joined efforts to investigate the cause of the building collapse that occurred on Sunday evening in Buziga, an upscale suburb of Kampala. 

The incident, which happened around 7:00 pm, left several construction workers injured and claimed the life of one person, raising serious concerns about regulatory oversight and enforcement of building standards in the Kampala Metropolitan area.

Addressing journalists at Police Headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, Police Spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke confirmed that one person was rescued and is currently receiving treatment at Mulago National Referral Hospital, while one body was recovered from the site.

However, Kituuma said the possibility of more people being trapped under the debris could not be ruled out. He added that rescue efforts are ongoing, in collaboration with Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) enforcement teams.

Preliminary findings by the National Building Review Board suggest that the building owner was attempting to convert a single-story structure into a multi-story building without following the required legal and technical procedures. 

“They were trying to convert the building from a bungalow to a multi-story structure without adhering to necessary standards. The owner was also relying on unqualified individuals for guidance, and substandard materials were used, which weren’t suitable for a multi-story building,” Zziwa told journalists at the scene. 

The Buziga collapse adds to a growing list of building failures in the Kampala Metropolitan area that have resulted in loss of life and property. Critics argue that authorities have not taken decisive measures to prevent such tragedies, and the police have faced scrutiny over delayed reporting and the lack of follow-up on previous incidents. 

When pressed about why the police have not released reports from past investigations into similar cases, Kituuma defended the force, stating that building regulations and oversight fall under the jurisdiction of multiple agencies.

Kituuma declined to delve deeper into the current investigation, citing its ongoing nature. He emphasized that responsibility lies with multiple stakeholders. 

“There are so many regulatory hands when it comes to regulating construction — there’s KCCA and certainly its regulatory arm, the Directorate of Physical Planning. In the first place, they had given permission for construction. This will be an investigation matter into how the permission was given,” he said.

The incident has heightened public concern over building safety in Kampala, where rapid urban development often outpaces regulatory capacity, resulting in potentially deadly consequences.