By The Insight Post-Uganda
Lawrence Busuulwa, a businessman in Mukono district is under the spotlight for renovating a cordoned building known as ‘Kasawo Arcade’ without a certified integrity structural assessment report.
The building caught fire last month, raising concerns among traders and residents about the safety of the ongoing renovations.
Traders and residents fear that the lack of a certified assessment report puts both the builders and potential occupants of the building at risk.
The building is located near a busy corridor used by hawkers and pedestrians, leading to Kame Valley Market.
Farouk Mbojjana, a concerned resident says that once the building collapses as a result of any error, a number of people and properties are likely to be affected.
Denis Kizito, another resident, expresses dismay over the lack of inspection by municipal authorities, stating that many developments in Mukono are completed without proper scrutiny.
“In Mukono here several people set up developments and complete them without a single inspection, the municipal authorities are only concerned with approving plans of sites they don’t even know where they are located,” Kizito expresses dismay.
Engineer Harunah Ssebaduka, the Mukono Municipal Structural Engineer, advises Busuulwa to submit a comprehensive report covering the entire building before proceeding with any further development.
The current integrity assessment report submitted to the engineer’s office only focuses on the most affected areas.
“We actually advised Busuulwa to remove the building materials on the top of the building so as to avoid possible risks. We don’t want further construction on the building,” Eng. Ssebaduka notes.
Traders have already occupied the ground floor section of the building under renovation, despite the engineer’s instructions to evacuate to avoid potential damage.
Efforts to reach Busuulwa, the site owner, have been unsuccessful so far. The Building Control Act prohibits anyone from occupying or using a building under construction without an occupation permit, except when essential for the erection of the building. Violating this law is an offense punishable by a fine.
Additionally, when renovating cordoned-off or abandoned buildings, owners are required to hire structural engineers to evaluate the structural integrity and compliance with design codes and standards.
An integrity assessment report is crucial in determining the condition of the building and its surroundings.
Structural engineers conduct inspections, gather data and information, perform laboratory testing on structural specimens, and identify damages and defects. Their goal is to ensure the building is safe and structurally sound.
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