The City of Kigali has ordered the complete demolition of a three-storey commercial building in the Norvege area of Nyabugogo after structural failures made it unsafe to occupy or repair. The building, valued at more than Rwf800 million, began showing visible cracks when the first floor was completed and had deteriorated significantly by August 2026, when videos circulating on social media showed portions of the structure breaking away as construction continued. Support columns were reportedly crumbling, and parts of the upper section were leaning, creating a potential hazard for workers and future occupants.
The owner, Twahirwa Theoneste, said he had not calculated the exact financial loss but estimated the completed building would have been worth at least Rwf800 million. He attributed the failure not to a lack of materials but to mistakes during construction by the professionals he had hired. "What we ask of people doing this work is that they should respect people's money," he said. "If someone pays you and provides the materials, you should give them a strong, high-quality structure." Technical investigations identified improperly mixed cement and steel reinforcement that did not meet required standards, with some steel components bending under the weight of the upper floors.
Emma Claudine Ntirenganya, spokesperson for the City of Kigali, said initial laboratory tests suggested some sections might be preserved, but further technical assessment showed this was not feasible. "Once both assessments were completed, they showed that it simply would not work and was not feasible. The only option is to remove the entire building, after which the owner can apply for a new construction permit," she said. Demolition has begun, and any future construction will require a fresh building permit application.
The case has raised questions about professional accountability in Rwanda's construction sector. Architects are responsible for design, while construction engineers and qualified professionals must ensure structures are built safely according to approved plans and technical standards. Ntirenganya urged investors to engage qualified professionals with necessary expertise and to verify they belong to relevant professional bodies, saying this helps ensure compliance with standards and accountability. The failure illustrates the financial consequences when construction professionals do not meet their obligations, turning what should have been a valuable commercial asset into a total loss for the owner.
For savers and investors in Rwanda, the case demonstrates the financial risks of entrusting construction projects to unprofessional practitioners, even when materials and funding are secured. A resident of Nyarugenge District, Habimana Assouman, noted that demolition was preferable to allowing an unsafe building to stand: "What if it had been completed and this happened while people were inside? Wouldn't that have been a much bigger problem?"