By Malik Fahad
The National Building Review Board-NBRB has ordered Masaka Green Belt Developer, Daraus Wamala to resubmit his building plans for review and scrutiny.
The order follows a petition by Masaka City Mayor Florence Namayanja to NBRB where she indicated that the developer had deviated from the approved building plan by erecting permanent buildings in a green belt.
Accordingly, the NBRB Executive Secretary, Flavia Guto Bwire who inspected the site ordered Wamala to halt any form of construction at the site until the resubmitted build plans are approved.
The contested belt is located on Plot 10 and 23 along Broadway road opposite Masaka High Court. According to Bwire, the board is not against developments and the developers but rather to guide him to put up safer buildings for the users.
“When we come to your sight we don’t come to stop you, we come to ensure that you do it right, that is the role for which the board was established, and that is why we visited Masaka sites after getting complaints about them.” She says.
She also advises developers to always use qualified architects and engineers because they are aware of the law and capable of doing standard construction works.
“Refer your preferred professional architects and engineers to the Masaka city building control office for guidance on how to comply with the relevant laws so as to avoid making similar mistakes.”
Masaka Building Control Committee Chairperson, Alice Nanungi says they have respectively warned Wamala against the illegal construction works but did not take warnings seriously prompting them to raise the matter to line authorities.
“The building control committee approved Wamala’s plan of constructing a restaurant using temporary materials in the green belt but surprisingly he deviated from the plan we had approved and embarked on permanent housing projects.’’ She says.
Wamala has revealed to The Insight Post-Uganda that he is considering resubmitting the plans for review and consideration.
“The terrain of the site could not allow me to construct here without using permanent structures given the location of the site. Setting up temporary structures would affect the image of the city but the good thing is we are still on the development plan we submitted. We are putting up a restaurant which is acceptable by law to be established in such a place.” He adds.
Meanwhile, the NBRB also paid a visit to another site belonging to Masaka City Businessman Moses Kalisa aka Muto leaders accused of cutting down old trees from the plot he wanted to develop as well as excavating land without a permit.
The building committee however, had agreed with the businessman to plant other three trees at his site and also agreed to put up a wall to protect the newly constructed road from being affected.
The board promised to come up with a report about the site after finding out that the site lacked basic reports such as electrical, mechanical and geotech drawings required for class ‘A’ classified sites.
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