Asbestos roofing material is said to contain contains cancer-causing agentsBy Prisca WanyenyaGovernment has signed contracts with the UPDF Engineering Brigade worth UGX526,396,125 to remove asbestos roofing from three schools in Kampala – Kyambogo College, Kololo Secondary School and Nakivubo Blue Primary School – following concerns that the colonial-era roofing material contains cancer-causing agents.The revelation was made by Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja during the plenary sitting on October 29, 2026, while responding to a concern raised by Agnes Amede (Butebo Woman MP) on when government would honour its commitment to replace all asbestos roofing in public facilities.“In Kampala, the Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for asbestos removal at Kyambogo College School at UGX283,314,675 and for asbestos removal and classroom revival works at Kololo Senior Secondary School at a cost of UGX19,963,650. Asbestos removal and roof renovation of the P3 to P5 block at Nakivubo Primary School is estimated at UGX52,117,800,” Nabbanja said.The Prime Minister said the projects are being handled by the Ministry of Education and Sports through the Department of Secondary Education and UPDF Engineering Brigade in selected Kampala schools. The same works are being undertaken under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development and the rehabilitation of teacher training institutions.In her written question, Amede cited the case of Butebo FM, a property of Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) that is still under occupation and located in a densely populated area.“On several occasions, it has been raised on the floor of Parliament about the dangers of asbestos roofs and materials that are dangerous to our health. It is considered to have carcinogenic material and is associated with causing cancers. When is government removing asbestos materials across the country, particularly in institutions such as schools, hospitals, and in this case, in Butebo district, given that the UBC facility is currently located in a highly populated community?” Amede wrote.Nabbanja acknowledged that the old Butebo FM transmission building roofed with asbestos is due for demolition and staff were advised to vacate the building more than 10 years ago, which they complied with. However, Uganda Police requested space at the site to act as a temporary police station, but have been advised to vacate as they have delayed demolition.“UBC in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is planning to revive the Butebo FM station with new medium wave technology and the focus is to have a new building to host the transmission line,” Nabbanja said.Cables Clutter in KampalaMeanwhile, Buhweju West MP John Bosco Kariisa raised concerns over the growing web of overhead utility cables and inadequate maintenance of electricity, internet, telephone and other telecommunication cables in Kampala, saying they have become a public safety and transport hazard requiring urgent inter-ministerial intervention.“Please indicate the responsible institutions, the proposed inter-ministerial coordination mechanism, the implementation timelines, and the measures through which this challenge will be addressed,” Kariisa said.The Prime Minister said that on January 27, 2026, the Head of Public Service alongside officials from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) and the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, along with representatives from internet service providers, conducted a field visit around Kampala.“They found that the visual environment had deteriorated, more cables were dangling and abandoned on walkways, and new poles continued to be installed, including locations where poles had previously been decommissioned. After the visit, the Head of Public Service directed the technical teams to continue decommissioning unused poles and remove all hanging cables along the roads within two weeks. Since then, work has continued to de-clutter the city,” Nabbanja said.She added that from April 23 to 25, 2026, UCC, the Ministry of ICT, KCCA and service providers conducted another field visit to assess progress, and another visit was conducted on June 10, 2026 to new roads to establish the availability and condition of underground ducts and manholes.“Efforts are underway to have all internet service providers migrate underground on newly completed roads provided by KCCA to the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area. We are targeting November 30, 2026 as the migration deadline for the new roads,” Nabbanja said. The post Gov’t Allocates Shs526m to Remove Cancer-Causing Asbestos Roofs from 3 Kampala Schools appeared first on Business Focus.