The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) has denied allegations of flooding tower as it was seen in a circulating video on Monday 2nd September ,2019 after a heavy rain pour.
In a video captured by a staff member, employees are seen running away from their desks taking refuge in another corner. Computers which were on desks were left to be pounded by the leaking water.
After a while, some staff members are seen running back to their desks to pull off the computers in order to salvage them from the water impact. It is not clear which floor was leaking.
However, according to the letter signed by the URA Head Public and Corporate Affairs Vicent Seruma, the rainwater came through windows.
“Today we experienced exceptionally heavy rains with strong winds which pushed rainwater through the roof louvers that dropped to floor two where the atrium starts,” he noted.
Adding that, “The URA tower is a green building, designed to use a natural ventilation system where fresh air comes through the windows, and hot air raises through the atrium and finally exists through the louvers at the top.”
He noted that a solution to protect louvers from such exceptional storms is being put in place while at the same time maintaining the original design features of the building to remain energy efficient and environmentally friendly.
The 23-floor building cost taxpayers Shs139b and it was officially opened by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni in January this year. Upon completion, URA had to shift most of its staff from nearby Kampala offices to the tower.
The building also houses the office of the URA commissioner general Doris Akol. URA said in a statement that its tower “is a green building, designed to use a natural ventilation system where fresh air comes through the louvers, and hot air rises through the atrium and finally exits through the louvers at the rooftop.”
