A building under construction at Holy City Church in Bwerenga, Wakiso District, has collapsed, leaving one person confirmed dead as rescue teams search through the rubble and authorities investigate the incident.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Rachael Kawala confirmed the death, while a source involved in the rescue operation told Nile Post that two bodies had been recovered from the debris.
Police had not publicly confirmed the reported recovery of the second body by the time of publication, leaving the full death toll unclear.
The incident occurred at Holy City Church in Bwerenga, Katabi Town Council, Wakiso District. The church belongs to Pastor Ronnie Makabai of Brother Ronnies Ministries.
Preliminary findings indicated that the collapsed structure was an extension of the main church building and had reached the fourth floor when it came down.
Police had earlier reported that approximately 22 people had been rescued and were being evacuated to Entebbe Grade B Hospital for medical attention.
However, authorities had not provided a comprehensive account of the casualties, including the total number of people injured or whether anyone remained trapped beneath the rubble.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, Kawala said emergency teams were continuing their efforts at the scene. “Rescue operations are ongoing, with approximately 22 people rescued so far,”
The police spokesperson also confirmed one death but indicated that she was on her way to the scene to obtain accurate information from the ground.
The reported recovery of two bodies has raised questions about the final death toll, although only one death had been officially confirmed by police.
A source who participated in the search and rescue operation on Monday evening told our reporter that two bodies had been retrieved from the debris.
Information obtained by the publication indicated that one of the deceased was a resident of Nansana Municipality. The person’s identity was being withheld at the time of reporting.
Police had not publicly confirmed the recovery of the second body or released a complete breakdown of the people affected by the Holy City Church accident.
The distinction between the official confirmation and the account from the rescue source remains important as authorities establish the full extent of the casualties. The cause of the building collapse had not been established by the time of publication.
Police said investigations were ongoing as emergency response teams searched the debris, assisted survivors and worked to determine the full extent of the incident.
Details about the contractor, structural engineers, building approvals and construction standards were also not provided.
These questions remain unresolved, and no official findings identifying the cause had been released in the supplied information.
The collapse has brought renewed public attention to construction safety in Uganda, particularly the circumstances under which multi-storey structures are built and the measures in place to protect people at construction sites.
However, determining whether any safety requirements were breached will depend on the findings of the investigation.
Rescue operations were continuing at the time of publication, with emergency teams searching for anyone who might still be trapped beneath the rubble.
Police are yet to establish the cause of the collapse and clarify the final number of deaths and other casualties.
Further information from authorities and emergency response teams will be necessary to establish the identities of the deceased, the condition of those rescued and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Holy City Church building collapse in Bwerenga has left one confirmed death, while a rescue source’s account of two bodies recovered points to a possible higher toll that police have yet to verify publicly.
As investigations continue, the priority remains establishing the full extent of the casualties and determining what caused the building to collapse.
The official findings will be essential in clarifying the circumstances of the incident and answering questions about construction safety at the site.
