Gen Katumba tasks new board to review building committees in local govts

The Minister of Works and Transport, Edward Katumba Wamala . PHOTOS/ DAVID LUBOWA 

What you need to know:

The chairperson of the Planning and Development Committee of the District Council is the chairperson of District Building Committee

The Minister of Works and Transport, Edward Katumba Wamala has tasked the newly appointed National Building Review Board (NBRB) members to start with reviewing the Building Committees at local government arguing it would help mitigate collapsing buildings in cities.
Building committees.
Section 28(1) of the Building Control Act, 2013 established a building committee at each District and Urban Authority. The National Building Review Board oversees, inspects and monitors the operations of the Building committees.

In case of a district, the Building Committee is composed of a Chief Administrative Officer, Town Clerk, Chairperson of the Planning and Development Committee of the District Council, the officers responsible for planning, Health, engineering, land management, environment management and architecture.
The chairperson of the Planning and Development Committee of the District Council is the chairperson of District Building Committee.

While officiating the swearing in ceremony of the new board members in Kampala yesterday, Gen Katumba said construction is a growing industry which has many cities and many people who want to develop in new cities needs guidance from the Building Committees.
“One of the main responsibilities of the board is to focus on and ensure that these committees are out in the local government where they are required so that they can be supervised,” he said.
According to him, the board has to monitor and inspect the operation of Building Committees because most of them are young and they do not have skills which are required.

“After supervision, the review board has to submit the report to the minister relating to any matter under the Building Control act and determine appeals from the person certified from the Building  Committees  because some of the committees are still young. They make many decisions which are not really professional,” he said.
“You have to monitor building developments, ensure construction designs and utilities and cater for persons with disabilities which is still a big challenge because most of the buildings in the city do not have the provisions of PWDs yet it’s now an international demand," he added.

Minister of Works and Transport, Edward Katumba Wamala (Middle) poses for a picture with newly appointed National Building Review Board members after taking oath at Hotel African. PHOTO/DAVID LUBOWA 

The newly appointed NBRB Chairperson, Mr Emmanuel Male who is a quantity surveyor by training said that for the last three years, they managed to build the foundation of the Review Board and that they are now set for implementation. 
“We were setting up the board and that was the main function in the last three years. The board has been set up with all the necessary manpower and equipment to monitor developments in all cities and districts,” he said.

Mr Enoch Kibbamu, the outgoing board chairperson argued that for any organisation to move forward it must have a firm and strong foundation and that in the last three years they built the foundation and regulations about fees and building committees.
“Building review board is the regulator and supervisor of the building committees which are the implementers and in this case, we monitor and supervise building committees,” he said.
The new board consists of 16 members led by Mr Emmanuel Male. Every after three years, the Ministry of Works and Transport has to appoint new members. 

Members of the Board
Mr Emmanuel Male , Chairperson
Eng. Betty Nakamya Vice Chairperson
Mr Wadri Sam Nyakua Member
Mr Charles Kyamanya member
Ms Harriet Mary Kaahwa Kugonza
Ms Tabitha Kakuze
Mr Edwrd Ssimbwa
Mr James Enou Arochu
Dr Jackson Amone
Ms Eva Katusabe
Mr Apollo Mukasa 
Mr Milton Fred Ocen
Mr Jonathan Tugume
Ms Margaret Adata
Mr Enoch Kibbamu
Mr Vicent B Byendaimira