The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has announced new measures requiring cement dealers to install verified weighing scales at their outlets and urged builders to verify the weight of every cement bag before purchase following reports of underweight products on the market.
The move comes in response to public concern triggered by viral social media videos showing cement bags labelled as 50 kilograms allegedly weighing between 40kg and 42kg.
Addressing journalists on Thursday, UNBS Executive Director James Kasigwa said investigations had established that certified cement manufacturers comply with national quality and weight standards, with most cases of underweight cement resulting from tampering by unscrupulous traders after the products leave the factories.
“We will require that all outlets have verified weighing scales so that a kilo is a kilo. We also encourage consumers to demand that whatever they are buying is verified for weight before purchase,” Mr Kasigwa
said.
He urged consumers to buy cement bearing the UNBS Quality Mark as proof that it meets the country’s quality standards.
According to UNBS, the recent allegations stemmed from videos showing what appeared to be Tororo Cement bags weighing significantly less than the labelled 50 kilogrammes. The footage sparked concern among contractors, engineers and members of the public, prompting the bureau to investigate.
Mr Kasigwa said routine inspections conducted at certified cement manufacturing plants found that all sampled products met the requirements of the Weights and Measures Act.
The bureau said major manufacturers, including Tororo Cement, Simba Cement, Hima Cement, Yaobai Cement, Metro Cement and Old Continent Group, undergo regular scheduled and unannounced inspections, with samples collected directly from production lines and tested in accredited laboratories.
“The recent factory inspection results confirmed that all sampled cement bags from the manufacturers complied with the quality and weight requirements prescribed under the Weights and Measures Act,” Mr Kasigwa said.
However, UNBS market surveillance during the 2025/2026 financial year uncovered three hardware outlets in Mukono, Mbale and Nakasongola districts selling underweight cement.
Investigations established that suspects collected empty cement bags from construction sites, opened genuine bags, siphoned out part of the cement, resealed the packaging and resold the products to unsuspecting buyers.
“The warehouses were sealed off, the suspects were arrested and are being prosecuted for their illegal actions,” Mr Kasigwa said.
UNBS said such cases are linked to illegal tampering during transportation, storage and at points of sale rather than malpractice by certified manufacturers.
To strengthen consumer protection, the bureau directed all hardware dealers to install verified weighing scales to enable buyers to confirm the weight of cement before purchase.
Consumers were also advised to inspect cement bags for signs of tampering by checking labels, manufacturing dates and batch numbers.
Construction site supervisors were urged to destroy empty cement bags after use to prevent their reuse by fraudsters, while manufacturers were encouraged to establish systems for collecting used packaging materials to reduce opportunities for counterfeiting.
UNBS called on the public to report suspected cases of underweight or adulterated cement to the bureau or other relevant authorities to support enforcement efforts against fraudulent traders.