At least 22 people have been rescued after a building under construction at Holy City Church, operated by Brother Ronnie’s Ministries, collapsed in Bwerenga, Katabi Town Council, Wakiso District, on Monday evening.
Kampala Metropolitan Police said rescue teams were searching through the rubble to establish whether more people remained trapped following the collapse.
“Rescue operations are ongoing, with approximately 22 people rescued so far and being evacuated to Entebbe Grade B hospital facilities for medical attention,” said Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson SP Racheal Kawala.
“We are working to establish whether anyone remains trapped beneath the rubble.”
According to preliminary police findings, the collapsed structure was an extension of the church’s main building and had reached the fourth floor when it gave way.
The extent of injuries sustained by those rescued was not immediately established. Police had also not confirmed any fatalities by Monday evening.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about construction safety and compliance with building regulations, particularly for multi-storey structures.
Under Uganda’s building control framework, developers are required to obtain the necessary approvals and ensure that construction works comply with prescribed safety and structural standards.
However, police have not established whether the church extension had the required building approvals or whether any structural defects contributed to the collapse.
“Investigations into the cause of the collapse are ongoing,” Kawala said.
The immediate priority remains rescuing any people who may still be trapped beneath the debris, as investigators seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
The church is led by Brother Ronnie Makabai, a prominent Ugandan preacher whose ministry operates Holy City Entebbe along the Kawuku–Bwerenga Road.
The ministry regularly hosts large religious gatherings attended by worshippers from Uganda and abroad.
Joint Police and UPDF teams were deployed to the scene to support rescue operations.
However, estimates of the number of people feared trapped remain unverified.
The collapse is likely to draw scrutiny of construction supervision, the building’s approved plans and the structural integrity of the extension, although no wrongdoing has been established.
This is a developing story.
