Kisaasi Building Collapse: Three dead, Nine rescued As hope for finding survivors fades

A multi-storey building under construction collapsed in Kisasi, Kampala, killing three people and injuring nine others. Authorities say the structure was illegal and ignored a stop order from KCCA, sparking renewed concerns over weak enforcement and poor construction oversight in the city.

Hopes of finding more survivors are rapidly fading as rescue teams enter their second day of searching through the rubble of a multi-storey building that collapsed on Friday afternoon in Kisota Zone, Kikaya Parish, Kisasi. By Saturday evening, the death toll had risen to three, while nine survivors remain hospitalized.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachel Kawala confirmed that two of the deceased have been identified as Jonathan Kivumbi and James, commonly known as “Rasta.” The identity of the third adult male has not yet been established. The bodies were taken to Mulago City Mortuary for postmortem examinations.

The three-storey structure, which had been under construction for about eight months, suddenly collapsed from the top floor at around 1:00 PM on Friday, trapping several casual laborers under heaps of concrete debris and twisted metal bars.

As the Police Fire and Rescue Services, together with the Uganda Red Cross, continue search and recovery efforts, attention has shifted to issues of regulatory failure and weak enforcement by local authorities. Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Executive Director Sharifa Buzeki stated that the building was fully illegal. “The structure was being constructed without approval because its plans had not been sanctioned,” she said. “The developers were served with a stop notice in April, but they ignored it and continued construction, often working at night to avoid enforcement teams.”

Engineer Justus Akankwasa, KCCA Director of Engineering and Technical Services, attributed the collapse to a catastrophic combination of poor structural design and the use of substandard materials.

Police have launched a manhunt for those responsible for the site. “We are tracking down the site owner and the site engineer,” Ms. Kawala said, adding that investigations into negligence have already begun. “They will be required to present KCCA-approved plans and proof of professional qualification.”

The disaster has reignited public debate over KCCA’s oversight and supervision capacity. Kawempe Division Mayor Emmanuel Sserunjogi acknowledged enforcement gaps, noting that KCCA’s physical planning and engineering departments face serious administrative challenges, including leadership gaps and staffing shortages that limit routine site inspections.

The tragedy comes just two months after the implementation of the Building Control (Amendment) Act 2026, which increased penalties for non-compliance to up to 12 years in prison. However, critics argue that unless KCCA strengthens proactive on-site monitoring instead of issuing post-disaster statements, Kampala’s rapidly growing construction sector will continue to pose serious risks.