UGANDAN ENGINEERS DIVIDED OVER NEW BILL

By Martin Anguyo
Arua City

As the Ugandan government pushes for the implementation of the Engineering Professionals Bill 2024, a section of engineers has expressed mixed reactions. While some see the bill as a step towards promoting excellence and protecting Ugandan engineers' interests, others cite potential biases towards foreign professionals and the need for clarity on registration processes.

Engineer Ronald Ededribo of West Nile Engineering Limited expresses concerns that the bill might affect youths working with local engineers. "My construction company primarily focuses on home construction projects that employ young people," he says. "The bill might impact some youths who have been dealing with local engineers for their survival."

In contrast, mechanical engineer Michael Adibaku supports the bill's objectives, emphasizing the need for systematic practices. "The bill aims to promote excellence and protect Ugandan engineers' interests," he says.

Hon. Mourine Osoru, the Woman Member of Parliament for Arua City, also backs the bill, stating that it will help prevent substandard works done by some engineers.

"We have so many people ouside there who claimed to be professional engineers yet they are not. Look at the quality of the work produced by them, they are those who are professional engineers and indeed, their work is superb but there are those who are just there but because they want to survive, you may find they also come out and say, we are professionals yet they are not and at the end of the day when you value the money with what what what you have put in that project, you may find that you have actually wasted alot of money.Things to do for professionals are supposed to be left for professionals." Says Mourine

The Engineering Professionals Bill that aims to establish the Uganda Institution of Engineering Professionals (UIEP), which will define the objectives, membership, and governance of engineering professionals in Uganda was tabled by the State Minister for Works and Transport, Hon. Musa Ecweru, on August 28, 2024, and currently, the bill is in the second reading stage, awaiting further deliberation.