Parliament Committee Wants UNBS Council Chair Kalibbala Removed Over ‘Eng’ Title

What the report says

Parliament’s Tourism, Trade and Industry Committee has recommended that the Trade Minister begin removal proceedings against James K. Kalibbala, the chairperson of the National Standards Council, over his long use of the title “Eng” without being registered as a professional engineer. The committee’s report, presented by MP Boniface Okot, says the matter raises concerns about Kalibbala’s integrity and whether he is suitable to lead the body overseeing the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS).

According to the report, the Uganda Institution of Professional Engineers told the committee that Kalibbala is not registered under the Engineers Registration Act, despite using the engineering prefix in official documents. The committee said it viewed the issue as especially serious because the title is protected under the law for registered engineers only. It also pointed to a memorandum in the report, dated October 15, 2025, that carried the name “Eng. James K. Kalibbala” as part of its evidence.

The committee noted a legal gap in the UNBS Act, saying it does not set clear qualifications for the council chairperson or members. It recommended that the minister rely on a provision allowing removal on grounds of unfitness, while observing natural justice and giving Kalibbala a chance to be heard. The recommendation is not itself a dismissal; it is a proposed process that would still require official action. In general, professional title disputes can matter because they affect public confidence in regulators and standards-setting institutions.