Many Ugandans face significant financial losses due to counterfeit building materials. Understanding how to identify these fakes is crucial for any construction project. Sarah Nakazzi learnt this the hard way. After purchasing cement to build her home and escape rent burdens, her engineer discovered the cement was fake. Returning to the hardware shop, she found it had vanished, leaving her with a loss of Shs3m and a foundation she had to demolish.
This is not an isolated case. The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and Police recently shut down an illegal paint factory in downtown Kampala and busted a dealer in Luwero selling fake Tororo, Hima, and Fundi cement. These counterfeit products are particularly common in hardware stores upcountry.
How to protect yourself
Engage a professional engineer
Engineer Claude Ziraba from Kampala emphasizes that the first step is to hire a professional engineer. They provide a Bill of Quantities (BOQ), which lists required materials and can advise on where to find genuine products.
‘Some people are insecure when civil engineers recommend products, thinking we exaggerate prices,’ Ziraba says. ‘They then purchase materials themselves, which is where fake suppliers take advantage.’
Buy from authorised dealers
To avoid being duped, always buy from established, authorized dealers and manufacturers with a proven track record. Avoid unregistered vendors, who are common sources of counterfeits.
Verify product specifications and use contracts
Before purchasing, check that product specifications, like the manufacturer’s address, grade, and dimensions, are clearly indicated on the packaging. Ziraba also advises using a supply contract that specifies the required quality standards. The supplier should provide a certificate confirming the materials meet those standards.
Material-specific vigilance
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) plays a critical role in combating the influx of counterfeit building materials. Sylvia Kirabo, a UNBS spokesperson, has issued a stern warning about fraudsters who are deceptively forging official seals, stickers, and packaging to mimic genuine products. This widespread counterfeiting not only dupes consumers but also severely damages legitimate businesses and fair trade.
The most crucial step consumers can take is to always look for the UNBS Q-mark on products like cement, electrical wires, and steel, as this is the primary indicator of a certified and genuine item. The scale of this problem is significant, with a recent UNBS survey revealing that over half of the products on the Ugandan market are fake. This directly contributes to dangerous building collapses, with 68 percent of participants in a related study attributing structural failures primarily to poor-quality materials.
To navigate this risky market, Jimmy Okello of the Uganda National Association of Builders, Suppliers and Engineering Contractors (UNABSEC) advises buyers to adopt several key precautions.
First, always physically inspect materials, carefully checking for quality and scrutinizing labels and packaging for any misspellings or unusual marks. Second, beware of abnormally low prices, as a deal that seems too good to be true often signals substandard or fake goods. Third, for materials like cement, checking expiration dates is critical, as they can lose strength if stored for too long. This vigilance should extend to a detailed, material-specific level.
For bricks and blocks, they should be durable; a simple test for clay bricks is to immerse one in water, if the water turns white, the brick is not strong.
When it comes to steel bars, reputable manufacturers use QR codes or specific markings that can be verified, and a bar that cracks when you attempt to bend it is of poor quality.
For timber, good quality is typically heavy, has low moisture content, and is treated with preservatives to protect against pests; avoid any wood with high moisture and no preservatives.
With cement, always ensure the bag weighs the standard 50kg and check for the manufacturer’s specific security features, like holograms or unique codes. Finally, for roofing tiles or iron sheets, they should interlock easily and have a uniform shape to ensure proper water flow, as warped or uneven tiles can lead to leaks.
In response to this ongoing issue, UNBS is committed to cracking down on unscrupulous dealers whose businesses undermine the country’s development. ‘These people do not pay taxes and are stealing from unsuspecting consumers and legitimate investors,’ says Kirabo. She urges the public to cooperate in the fight against fake products and encourages all manufacturers to seek UNBS certification before selling their goods, a move that will help consumers identify genuine products with ease.