KAMPALA, Uganda — Emergency responders have rescued at least 22 people following the catastrophic collapse of a four-story church building under construction in Bwerenga, located within Katabi Town Council in Wakiso District. The structural failure occurred on Monday evening, October 26, 2026 at the Holy City Church complex, affiliated with Brother Ronnie's Ministries.
The collapse occurred without warning as work was ongoing on an extension to the main church facility. The multi-story addition, which had reached four stories in height, suddenly gave way, trapping several site workers and individuals under heavy concrete blocks and tangled metal scaffolding.
Police units from nearby Entebbe, alongside emergency rescue personnel, responded rapidly to the site. Emergency crews pulled 22 survivors from beneath the rubble and immediately evacuated them to Entebbe Grade B Hospital for urgent medical care.
"Rescue operations are ongoing, with approximately 22 people rescued so far," confirmed Uganda Police Force spokesperson Racheal Kawala. "We are working to establish whether anyone remains trapped beneath the rubble."
While emergency teams continue probing the structural wreckage for trapped survivors, civil engineers and law enforcement officers have launched a preliminary investigation to establish the cause of the failure. Authorities are examining structural design integrity, material quality, and compliance with local municipal building regulations.
The disaster has reignited intense public scrutiny over construction compliance and safety enforcement across growing urban and suburban development corridors in central Uganda. Municipal engineering departments face increasing pressure to enforce rigid structural inspections to prevent similar engineering failures on commercial and institutional sites.
Police officials noted that further updates regarding victim health conditions and structural assessment findings will be released as forensic investigations progress.
In response to the incident, local community leaders and safety advocates have called for an immediate audit of ongoing large-scale construction projects across Wakiso District to prevent similar tragedies. Ministry officials expressed sympathy for the injured workers and pledged full cooperation with investigating authorities, promising transparency as safety teams inspect the remaining infrastructure to secure the site.
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