Structure of the Organization.
NBRB is an organization that exercises its functions through a Board, which is in turn assisted by a Secretariat.
The Secretariat is headed by the Executive Secretary (ES) who serves as Chief Executive Officer of the Organization, and the Secretariat consists of 4 Directorates, as follows:
- Directorate of Standards and Advisory Services,
- Directorate of Finance and Administration
- Directorate of Compliance, and
- Directorate of Investigation.
The Minister
The Minister of Works and Transport appoints the Board which is the governance organ of the Organization. The Minister may give directions of a policy nature in writing to the Board and the Board shall comply with the Minister’s directions. In accordance with the Act, the Minister may, in writing, delegate to the Chairperson of the Board any power conferred upon the Minister by or under the Act other than the powers in the specified sections of the Act that are excepted and upon such conditions as the Minister may specify.
The Board
The Board shall comprise 16 members who are drawn from Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and local government; professional bodies (or associations) in the built environment; trade unions; and the private sector. The Board is the overall and final body of responsibility for all decision-making within the Organization. It is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Organization, approving policies, approving finances and budgets, work plans and hiring the ES.
Mr. Male Emmanuel represents the institute of surveyors of Uganda and is the current Chairperson of the Board. He has been the President of the Institution of Surveyors in Uganda and a member of Surveyors Registration Emmanuel has worked in the Ministry of Works and Transport as Pupil Quantity Surveyor and rose through the ranks of Quantity Surveyor, Senior Quantity Surveyor, Principal and Senior Principal up to Assistant Commissioner Quantity surveying.
Eng. Betty Nakamya represents the Private Sector Foundation of Uganda and is the current Vice Chairperson of the Board. She is also a Council Member on Uganda Construction Sector Skills Council, Ministry of Education and Sports and the Chairperson of Uganda Association of Consulting Engineers. She has been General Manager, KOM consult Ltd. since 2009 and has worked as Project Manager/Materials Engineer, 2004-2008. She worked as Road Engineer/Materials Engineer with COWI-Consulting Engineers& Planners (2002 – 2004) where she participated in Development of MoWHC General Specifications for Roads and Bridge Works, 2005 and as a Junior Materials Engineer at Central Material Laboratory, Ministry of Works Housing& Communication from 2000– 2001.
Arch. Enock Kibbamu represents Uganda Society of Architects. He is a member of the permanent Board of practice and Ethics East Africa Institute of Architects and has been the Chairman of the Uganda Built Environment Professionals Taskforce. He has been the president, East Africa Institute of Architectures and President, Uganda Society of Architects.
Mr. Arochu James Enou represents the National Organization of Trade Unions. He is employed with Stirling Civil Engineering (U) Ltd as an Electrical Supervisor. He has a wide experience in public administration having worked at local government for long. He has worked as Chief Administrative Officer in Buikwe district in 2013, Wakiso district in 2011 and Masaka district in 2007.
Mr. Milton Fred Ocen represents Uganda Law Society. He is a Private Legal Practitioner and a common law Qualified Mediator, an arbitration Practitioner and a Law Lecturer. He has experience in working with wide range of clients from Central and Local Government, private Companies, International Organizations and providing Legal advisory Services .He is a Research Assistant, British University in Dubai. He has been a Managing Partner With Milton &Co. Advocates, Legal Manager in Mumtaz Kassam & Co Advocates Uganda, and Legal officer Captain Markets Authority, Uganda..
Eng Jonathan Tugume represents Uganda Institute of Professional Engineers (UIPE). He is a professional Engineer and experienced business entrepreneur working in Uganda’s infrastructure sector. He has experience as a reputable project manager on various medium to large scale construction schemes. He has worked with Terrain Services/ Dynaco Ltd as a project Manager ,Nippon koel/ICS Consultants as a Bridge Engineer, UNRA Bridge Management Team Leader /Contract Manager and MoWT, Senior Engineer(civil).
Arch Harriet Mary Kaahwa Kugonza represents Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development. She is a professional Architect and an experienced business entrepreneur working in Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development. She is a member of the Uganda Society of Architects and a registered Architect with the Architects Registration Board.
Eng. Eva Katusabe represents Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. She is the Principal Specialised Safety Inspector – Construction in the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. She has vast experience in health, safety and the environment. She is the current the National Secretary for ICOH – International Commission on Occupational Health..
Ms. Margaret Adata represents Ministry of Water and Environment. She is the Commissioner Forestry in the Ministry of Water and Environment and is responsible for the Forestry Sector. She is National Focal Point Person for the United Nation forum on Forests (UNFF)
Dr Jackson Amone represents Ministry of Health. He is the Commissioner Clinical services, a consultant on Public Health and National Coordinator for viral Hemorrhagic fever. He has been employed as Assistant Commissioner, Integrated Curative Services, Ministry of Health and Medical Superintendent for Bwera Hospital in Kasese..
Mr. Apollo Mukasa represents National Council for Disability. He is currently the Executive Director, Uganda National Action on Physical Disability. He has wide experience in disability human rights and related legal instruments and in 2007 spearheaded the process of developing the “Accessibility Standards” for Uganda.
Mr. Kyamanya Charles represents Uganda Institute of Physical Planners (UIPP).He has been responsible for preparation of Land use schemes and routine Processing of Land Sub-Division Applications. He was appointed as Contract manager under the Kampala City and has been the Ag. Chief Town Planner, Kampala City Council.
Ms. Tabitha Kakuze represents Urban Authorities Association of Uganda (UAAU). She has been the Project Management member and cashier Local Agenda 21 programme and Ag. Secretary Jinja District Land Board. Tabitha has served as steering Committee member Skelleftea city/ Jinja Municipal Council Twinning Partnership and has been the Secretary Slum upgrading programme and the Resettlement /Land acquisition desk officer for Jinja Municipal.
Arch. Edward Ssimbwa represents the Ministry of Works and. He is the Commissioner for Public Structures in the Ministry of Works and Transport and is a member of the National Physical Planning Board. He has been the Assistant commissioner Architecture and is a member of Uganda Society of Architects.
Mr. Vincent B. Byendaimira represents the department responsible for physical planning. He Joined the Physical Planning Department of the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development in February 1992 as Geographer and has risen through the ranks to Ag. Director for Physical Planning and Urban Development. He was part time lecturer in Urban and Regional Planning at Makerere University for ten years and is still visiting lecturer at the Uganda Management Institute (UMI) in Kampala. He has participated in developing Uganda’s spatial planning policy, laws, regulations and guidelines and is currently spearheading preparation of Uganda’s first National Spatial Plan.
Executive Secretary/ Secretary to the Board.
The Executive Secretary (ES)
The ES is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Organization, through a Secretariat, implementation of the Strategic Plan, implementation of the policies and programs of the Board, implementation of work plans, managing human resources, managing finances, managing organizational properties and other responsibilities delegated to the ES by the Board.
The Secretariat
The Secretariat consists of 4 Directorates, namely: Directorate of Standards and Advisory Services, Directorate of Finance and Administration, Directorate of Compliance and Directorate of Investigation.
The Directorate is composed of two Divisions namely Standards and Advisory and its roles include the following:
- Acts as an additional learning and development resource and vehicle, contributing to the internal capacity of the Board’s Secretariat, by working with the Human Resource (HR) department specifically focusing on and supporting the implementation of learning and development strategies.
- Implements and takes the lead in the development of new construction technologies to incorporate in construction development plans.
- Enhances and builds the value of the research element of the Board’s Secretariat to ensure that relevant research is being conducted on all aspects of the Building Code as regards to the Board’s strategic plan.
- Ensures that the research focuses on new and emerging construction innovations, technologies, and methods identified and communicated by the stakeholders, recognizing the changes in the construction industry at national, regional and/or international level and ensuring that this research findings/reports/papers are shared with both internal and external stakeholders.
The Directorate is composed of two Divisions namely Finance and Administration and its roles include the following:
- Ensures sufficient strengthening of the Board Secretariat’s internal capacity and systems, which support the other directorates and units to enable them deliver and enhance performance standards and safety within the building industry.
- Identifies and develops strategic partnerships with key players in the industry in order for potential relationships to materialize through the effective/quality performance of the Board and its Secretariat.
- Ensures that there is a systematic process and structure responsible for organizing and maintaining the financial business of the Board.
- Plans, operates and supports the general IT infrastructure, to enable the users to carry out their roles efficiently, productively and securely. The unit shall meet multiple business and technical requirements, and provide secure IT infrastructure at minimized costs.
- Provides public relations and communications designed to help build trust and credibility with stakeholder within the Construction Industry. It also helps raise awareness about NBRB as well as give it a chance to define, control and distribute its message to a national, regional and international level.
The Directorate is composed of two Divisions namely Legal Services and Monitoring and its roles include the following:
- Monitors and reports on the performance of the implementation of the Act, Building Regulations and the National Building Code by the stakeholders in the construction industry, and advises on desirable changes, if any.
- Conducts periodic inspections of records, proceedings of Building Committees (see Annex) to ensure they comply with Act.
- Monitors compliance of Building Committees.
- Takes the lead to ensure that the Secretariat’s performance and efficiency in delivering on its mandate is continuous, and that there is evidence based performance and that there is a system in place that ensures continuous improvement for quality delivery.
- Coordinates Complaints Reviews and carry out investigations as mandated by the Act.
- Provides to the Board any guidance and interpretations regarding any matters arising from implementation of the Act.
- Supports the Board in implementation of statutory requirements such as board meetings and other related committee meetings.
Monitor building developments to ensure compliance with the terms of the enforcement notices issued and withdraw an enforcement notice if the party to which it was issued demonstrates full compliance.
The Directorate is composed of two Divisions namely Enforcement and Investigation and its roles include the following:
- Investigate suspected breaches of building control regulations and proactively work with complainants and the parties involved in the contravention of building control regulations to ensure compliance to the same.
- Receive and respond to information, enquiries and complaints regarding suspected breaches or contraventions of building control regulations.
- Issue reports on the enquiries and complaints recommending where necessary the course of action to take to address the contraventions.
- Identify and investigate unauthorized activities with regard to building or development which have the potential to cause harm or which pose a significant risk of irreversible harm to public amenity, health, safety and the environment.
- Initiate enforcement action or issue enforcement notices where breaches of building regulations or where the risk of potential harm to the public or environment has been identified and evidence to support the same is considered admissible in court.
- Undertake assessments in respect of the appropriate procedure to be followed for all dangerous structures or unauthorized or unacceptable building activities to ensure safety and avert disaster.
- Work proactively with the parties involved in the contravention of the building control regulations such as operators, landowners etc. to encourage or bring about compliance to the building control regulations.