The government has finalised a draft bill to repeal the Engineers’ Registration Act 1969, with the aim of ensuring better regulation of the sector.
General Edward Katumba Wamala the Minister for Works and Transport says the Act is too outdated to cater to the current and emerging challenges that affect the engineering profession and occupation.
The Engineers Registration Act 1969 is applied to regulate the works of engineers mainly by ensuring that the persons engaged in the occupations are registered.
However, with the change in terrain and emerging requirements and demands in the industry, both the practitioners and regulators agree on the need to have appropriate laws.
State Minister for Works Musa Ecweru is expected to table a new Engineering Bill today that responds to the current challenges and helps define who an engineer is in the current situation.
He was speaking at the four-day celebrations of World Engineering Day, which ended on Saturday at Hotel Africana. The Day, which falls on March 4th of every year is marked worldwide to recognize the works of engineers in various areas including electrical, civil, and recently digital.
Works and Transport Minister, General Katumba Wamala explained that the process is not an amendment, but will repeal the whole 53-year-old law.
He said the law will help weed out quacks and also raise the low numbers of registered engineers, including women. This, he says will even help to monitor what they do.
Some of the challenges facing the growth and professionalism of the engineering sector include low levels of education and limited research, according to the government.
The Secretary of the Engineers Registration Board, Robert Namugera says there are currently about 20,000 qualified engineers, but that only 1,642 are registered.
