National Building Review Board

THE BUILDING SECTOR IS CHANGING. ARE YOU READY FOR WHAT’S NEXT? Join architects, engineers, contractors, developers, planners, regulators, suppliers, investors at the SBS Conference 2026. 9–11 Dec, Mestil Hotel, Kampala 👉 Register now: [email protected]

From the hills to schools, religious institutions and boardrooms, the assessment of buildings for earthquake resilience is gaining momentum across communities. The assessment teams are engaging residents, local leaders, school administrators, religious leaders and other stakeholders, inspecting buildings, reviewing architectural and structural plans, and collecting vital information to establish how prepared our buildings are to withstand earthquake risks. Every visit, conversation and inspection contributes to a broader national effort to identify vulnerabilities, strengthen building safety and promote a culture of disaster preparedness.

𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐬 | 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 What makes a city truly inclusive? It is not just how we build, but who gets to shape the spaces we share. This week, we turn our attention to inclusive urban development and community engagement, exploring how planning that listens to communities can make Kampala’s growth safer, more accessible and fairer for everyone. Join the conversation at the 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 📅 0⃣9⃣ — 1⃣1⃣ 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 2026 📍 𝑴𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝑯𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒍, 𝑲𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒍𝒂 🔗 Register: conference.nbrb.go.ug/regist… #SBSC2026 #SafeBuildingBetterLiving #BeyondBricks2026UG

Preliminary Findings into Holy City Church Building Collapse How it fell: The building first leaned and tipped over, bringing down the entire structure. One person died, and 25 people were injured. What was being built: It was a four-level building extension (ground floor plus three floors above) attached to the existing church hall. Under the building rules, it is a Class A building, which means it requires the highest level of approval and professional oversight. How it was built: The new extension was made of reinforced concrete (concrete with steel bars inside). It was joined to the older church hall, which is a steel-frame structure. Stage of work: The structure was complete, and workers were carrying out final finishing works, including laying terrazzo floors, when it collapsed. Possible design problems: Some concrete beams were very large, measuring up to 60 cm by 60 cm, and some stretched more than 6 metres without support. This points to possible problems with the building's design. Steel bars in the floors: The steel bars inside the concrete floors were of different sizes and were spaced unevenly. This weakens a floor. Legal status of the building: No building permit or approved drawings were found on site. Workmanship: The columns, beams and floors were uneven and irregular in shape. This suggests poor workmanship and a lack of supervision by a qualified professional. No safety measures: No site safety measures were observed in place.

"Uganda’s National Building Code (2020) requires that all public buildings, including schools, hospitals, churches, and halls, be equipped with lightning protection systems." "These systems typically include lightning rods, down conductors, grounding systems, and surge protection devices designed to safely channel electrical energy into the earth..." 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑠 𝑁𝐵𝑅𝐵'𝑠 𝐼𝑠𝑎𝑎𝑐 𝐿𝑢𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑎 - 𝐵𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑂𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑟, 𝐸𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞: nbrb.go.ug/the-scourge-of-li…

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓, 𝑼𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂’𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕𝒔 The State of the Building Sector Conference 2026 is a multi-disciplinary platform convened by the National Building Review Board to strengthen the standards, regulation and research shaping Uganda’s buildings. Three days of research papers, technical sessions and decisions on the standards keeping buildings safe. Beyond Bricks: Advancing Building Standards for Sustainable Development 📅 0⃣9⃣ - 1⃣1⃣ 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 🏩 𝐌𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐇𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐥, 𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐚 🔗 𝐑𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞: conference.nbrb.go.ug/regist… #SBSC2026 #SafeBuildingBetterLiving #BeyondBricks2026UG

We engaged Ugandans @892cbsFm with Martin Oscar Kintu in discussion about building control matters, highlighting the importance of compliance with building standards, obtaining the necessary approvals and engaging qualified professionals in construction. Building control is essential to ensuring safe, decent and well-planned buildings that protect lives and property.

UPDATE : 2:20 AM As rescue efforts continue at Holy City Church, Brother Ronnies Ministries, in Bwerenga, Wakiso District, the NBRB investigations team remains on the ground, piecing together preliminary evidence to help establish the circumstances surrounding the building collapse.

UPDATE: BUILDING COLLAPSE IN BWERENGA Rescue efforts are ongoing at Holy City Church, Brother Ronnies Ministries, in Bwerenga, Katabi Town Council, Wakiso District. Police, working alongside other response agencies, is leading the rescue operation. Meanwhile, NBRB investigators are on the ground to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse. Further updates will be communicated as verified information becomes available.

BUILDING COLLAPSE IN BWERENGA, WAKISO DISTRICT The National Building Review Board has received reports of a building collapse at Holy City Church, Brother Ronnies Ministries, in Bwerenga, Katabi Town Council, Wakiso District. Our investigations officers, alongside the Police and other emergency response teams, have responded to the incident. The cause of the collapse and details regarding any casualties are yet to be established. Further information will be communicated as it becomes available. @ntvuganda @NBSBreakingNews @cbsfm_ug @DailyMonitor @newvisionwire

Safe buildings begin with skilled people. How can better training, professional certification and effective inspection strengthen Uganda's building sector? Join the conversation at the #BuildingSectorConference2026 as we explore Capacity Building and Institutional Excellence. 📅 9–11 December 2026 📍 Mestil Hotel, Kampala 🔗 Register: lnkd.in/dw5ThWCu #BeyondBricks2026UG #SBSC2026 #NBRBUg

From steep hillsides to community institutions, the journey continues. Every building assessed brings Uganda one step closer to understanding its earthquake resilience and planning for a safer future. This nationwide exercise is free and responds to a Presidential Directive. The public is urged to grant our enumerators access and help build a more resilient Uganda. #KnowYourBuilding #KnowYourRisk #StaySafe #Uganda

𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐒: 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 The future of Uganda's built environment demands more than structures that stand. It calls for buildings that are safe, sustainable, resilient and responsive to the needs of our growing communities. Under the theme “𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐃 𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐒: 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭” the State of the Building Sector Conference 2026 will convene to examine the challenges and opportunities shaping Uganda's building sector. 𝑩𝒆 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑼𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒂'𝒔 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓. 📅 9–11 December 2026 🎟️ Participation Fee: USD 100 🔗 Register: conference.nbrb.go.ug/regist… #BeyondBricks2026UG #SBSC2026 #NBRBUg

Materials, approvals, testing: Three checks standing between a drawing and a safe building. At the State of the Building Sector Conference 2026, we examine how Uganda sets, applies and checks the rules keeping buildings standing. Three days of papers, evidence and decisions on what the sector must do differently. 📅𝑫𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 9-11, 2026 🏩𝑴𝙚𝒔𝙩𝒊𝙡 𝙃𝒐𝙩𝒆𝙡, 𝑲𝙖𝒎𝙥𝒂𝙡𝒂 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄: conference.nbrb.go.ug/regist… #BeyondBricks2026UG #SBSC2026

After long journeys and a full day assessing buildings for earthquake resilience, our enumerators deserve a moment to unwind and enjoy a sumptuous meal. Enjoying the fruits of our labour is a gift from God. Tomorrow, the mission to promote safer, earthquake resilient buildings across Uganda continues. #EarthquakeResilience

Our public awareness campaign on the assessment of buildings for earthquake resilience has reached Greater Masaka through @radiobuddu98. Together with local leaders, we engaged the public on the ongoing nationwide exercise, which responds to a Presidential Directive to Government to assess the resilience of buildings and strengthen safety across the country. We call upon the public to cooperate with enumerators and grant them access to their buildings. #EarthquakeResilience #SafeBuildings

Have you seen our enumerators in your neighbourhood today? If yes, they are assessing buildings for earthquake resilience. If not, they are on their way! Your role is simple: **grant them access to your building, answer their questions and provide the required documents.** The assessment is nationwide and aims to establish the resilience of our buildings to earthquakes and promote a safer built environment. **Your cooperation matters. Building safety is everyone’s responsibility.** #EarthquakeResilience #SafeBuildings #SERENEProject