Entebbe Church Building Collapse Leaves 22 Rescued as Police Clash with Tense Residents

A dramatic rescue operation is underway in Bwerenga, Katabi town council in Wakiso district, following the collapse of a four-storey church building. The structure, which serves as an extension of the Holy City Church owned by ‘Brother’ Ronnie Makabai along the Entebbe road, caved in on Monday evening while construction workers were still on site.

Emergency responders, including the Police Fire and Rescue Services and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), managed to pull 22 survivors from the heavy debris. The injured victims were swiftly rushed to Entebbe Grade B Hospital to receive urgent medical attention.

However, the rescue effort was quickly overshadowed by rising tensions at the scene. Scores of distraught residents and fellow construction workers gathered outside the cordoned-off perimeter, pleading with authorities to let them join the search. Some workers expressed deep anguish, noting that dozens of their colleagues remained unaccounted for inside the rubble.

Friction intensified when certain residents attempted to force their way past the barricades, insisting they could hear faint cries for help beneath the concrete slabs. This prompted security forces to call in reinforcements to push the crowds back and secure the perimeter.

ASP Edith Natukunda, the Entebbe community liaison officer, explained that crowd control was vital to preserve the integrity of the crime scene and allow investigators to do their work. Authorities subsequently mobilized additional heavy excavators—including equipment from the UN headquarters in Entebbe—alongside Uganda Red Cross teams to assist with clearing the massive debris.

Investigations into the structural failure remain ongoing, bringing renewed scrutiny to building standards and regulatory enforcement across the Kampala Metropolitan Area. Read the full story on The Observer.