Written By | Joshua Nahamya
How the fire razed Makhan singh and Victor Bwana timber traders
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MBARARA CITY
Traders in Mbarara City are counting losses worth millions of shillings after a devastating early-morning fire razed several timber workshops and kiosks along Victor Bwana Road.
The fire outbreak was reported to authorities at approximately 3:16 AM on Tuesday. Emergency response teams, including the Police Fire and Rescue Unit, private water operators, and Mbarara City authorities, rushed to the scene to suppress the blaze and contain its spread to adjacent commercial buildings.
How the fire today morning razed property at Makhan Singh and Victor Bwana streets in Mbarara
Confirming the incident, Rwizi Region Police Spokesperson SP Samson Kasasira stated that while investigations are actively underway, emergency teams managed to prevent loss of life.
“The cause of the fire is yet to be established,” SP Kasasira noted. “The fire destroyed timber molding machines, milling machines, and kiosks. Some of the property has been saved, but largely there was heavy damage to both property and structures. We have not registered any fatalities so far, and inquiries into the matter remain ongoing.”
This marks the second time timber traders along Victor Bwana Road have suffered catastrophic losses to fire, following a similar incident in 2023 that destroyed property worth millions. Local business owners express growing frustration over the lack of long-term hazard management solutions from city authorities, noting that recent urban trade realignments have done little to prevent such disasters in dense commercial zones.
The tragedy also reopens discussions around emergency response capacity in Mbarara City. Traders under their umbrella organization, the Mbarara City Traders Association (MBACITA), previously initiated a UGX 148 million fundraising campaign to import an independent fire truck from China to mitigate response delays during fire outbreaks. However, the fundraising drive, spearheaded by MBACITA Chairman Simon Seith Mwijuka, stalled following interventions by resident presidential representatives over complaints regarding collection mechanisms.
