By Ben Musanje
Uganda’s engineering fraternity has renewed calls for sweeping reforms in the regulation of the construction industry, warning that recurring building collapses and infrastructure failures will persist unless government strengthens professional oversight, enforces accountability and gives local engineers a greater role in delivering national projects.
The call was made in Kampala during the launch of the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers (UIPE) Voice, a new public engagement platform that seeks to position engineers at the centre of national conversations on infrastructure, public policy and sustainable development. The monthly platform is expected to provide regular public dialogue on engineering issues while bridging the long-standing gap between technical experts, policymakers, the media and the public.
Leading the call for reforms, UIPE President Eng. Peterson Mwesiga said the engineering profession can no longer afford to remain silent as critical infrastructure decisions continue to shape Uganda’s future.
He observed that although engineers design the country’s roads, bridges, hospitals, energy systems and water infrastructure, their voices have largely been absent whenever major engineering projects attract public debate.
Mwesiga said this has often left politicians, activists and bureaucrats to dominate discussions on highly technical issues, creating a vacuum that has denied Ugandans objective and professional engineering perspectives.
He explained that the newly launched UIPE Voice is intended to change that narrative by becoming the institution’s official communication platform through which engineers will explain technical issues in language that ordinary Ugandans can understand, educate the public, influence policy and promote ethical engineering practice.
According to Mwesiga, the platform will also proactively engage government, Parliament, civil society and the media on critical infrastructure decisions instead of only reacting after disasters occur.
At the heart of the institution’s new agenda is a push for comprehensive legislative reforms governing Uganda’s construction industry.
Mwesiga announced that UIPE will formally petition both Parliament and the Ministry of Works and Transport to fast-track reforms aimed at strengthening regulation, improving accountability and enforcing local content within the construction sector.
He argued that Uganda urgently requires a modern legal framework capable of regulating engineering practice, protecting professional standards and ensuring that public infrastructure is delivered safely and responsibly.
The UIPE President said the repeated collapse of buildings in different parts of the country should serve as a wake-up call for government and industry players alike.
He noted that such incidents expose weaknesses in regulatory enforcement and professional accountability, adding that engineering integrity should never be compromised regardless of commercial interests.
Mwesiga stressed that the institution intends to use the new platform to openly discuss engineering failures, explain the technical causes behind infrastructure defects and advocate stronger enforcement of professional standards across the sector.
Beyond regulation, UIPE is also advocating for increased participation of Ugandan engineers in major government infrastructure projects.
Mwesiga said local engineers possess the expertise, training and understanding of Uganda’s environment necessary to execute strategic national projects but continue to receive limited opportunities despite the country’s massive investments in infrastructure.
He called upon both government and private developers to fully enforce existing local content provisions and ensure Ugandan professionals take leading roles in projects ranging from oil and gas installations to the Standard Gauge Railway.
The institution also announced plans to strengthen the engineering profession through an expanded graduate training programme designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and practical field experience.
The revised programme will introduce young engineers to emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, geographic information systems and cybersecurity for critical infrastructure, ensuring they remain competitive in an increasingly digital engineering environment.
To improve public engagement, UIPE has further established a specialised pool of media experts drawn from experienced engineers who will regularly provide technical commentary on national infrastructure matters.
Mwesiga said this initiative will ensure engineering issues are communicated accurately and professionally while making qualified experts readily available whenever major development issues arise.
He encouraged members with technical expertise and communication skills to volunteer for the programme and help elevate the profession’s visibility in national discourse.
Launching the platform, the Minister in charge of General Duties in the Office of the Prime Minister, Eng. Hilary Onek, welcomed the initiative, describing it as an important step towards strengthening evidence-based decision-making in Uganda’s infrastructure development.
Onek said UIPE Voice represents far more than a communication platform, arguing that it creates a national forum where engineers, government, academia, industry, the media and the public can collectively deliberate on the country’s development priorities.
He said engineers play a central role in Uganda’s development, yet their contributions often remain hidden behind technical reports and project completion documents.
According to the minister, engineers must become active participants in public policy discussions because technical expertise alone is no longer sufficient in an era where public opinion increasingly shapes government decisions.
He added that professionals who fail to communicate effectively risk being misunderstood, making platforms such as UIPE Voice essential for promoting informed national debate.
Onek also reflected on Uganda’s past infrastructure planning, recounting how he unsuccessfully opposed the expansion of hydropower generation along the River Nile in the late 1990s after warning that Lake Victoria could not sustainably support increased water abstraction.
He said subsequent declines in lake water levels eventually validated those concerns, forcing authorities to redesign parts of the hydropower system after neighbouring countries raised alarm over the environmental consequences.
The minister argued that if engineers had possessed an independent platform through which technical concerns could be openly debated and scrutinised, some of the costly mistakes could have been avoided.
He expressed confidence that the newly launched UIPE Voice will provide exactly that opportunity by allowing engineers to challenge technical decisions using evidence before projects are implemented.
Onek further disclosed that government now routinely consults the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers whenever Cabinet considers major technical matters, saying this ensures national decisions benefit from local professional expertise rather than relying entirely on external consultants.
He nevertheless challenged engineers to uphold professional ethics, warning against placing financial interests ahead of professional integrity.
The minister said respect within society is earned through competence and ethical conduct, urging engineers to embrace continuous learning and remain updated with emerging research and technological developments throughout their careers.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Civil Society Coalition on Transport, Dr. Sam Stewart Mutabaazi, backed UIPE’s campaign for stronger local participation in Uganda’s construction industry.
He argued that although previous policies reserved only a small share of government projects for local contractors, Uganda should progressively increase local participation to as much as 80 or even 100 percent.
Mutabaazi maintained that Ugandan engineers possess the capability to execute major infrastructure projects but require stronger government support and greater confidence from both public and private sector clients.
The launch of UIPE Voice signals a new chapter for Uganda’s engineering profession as it seeks to move beyond technical practice and become a leading voice in shaping public policy, strengthening regulation and promoting accountability across the country’s construction industry.
With engineers now committing to engage directly with policymakers, the media and the public, the institution hopes stronger regulation, informed debate and professional oversight will help reduce construction failures while ensuring Uganda’s ambitious infrastructure agenda is delivered safely, ethically and sustainably. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
