The City of Kigali has begun demolishing a three-storey commercial building under construction in the Norvege area of Nyabugogo, Nyarugenge District, after technical assessments found it unsafe and unsuitable for rehabilitation.
The building had attracted public attention after images circulated on social media showing part of its upper section bending and deteriorating before construction was completed.
The city decided that the entire structure must be demolished, allowing the owner to seek a new construction permit and rebuild from scratch.
Although the decision represents a significant financial loss, some residents say it is necessary to protect lives.
Habimana Assouman, a resident of Nyarugenge District, said the consequences could have been far worse if the building had been completed and collapsed while people were inside.
“If it had been completed and something like this happened while people were inside, wouldn’t that have been a much bigger problem?” he said.
Kigali City spokesperson Emma Claudine Ntirenganya said the demolition followed technical assessments that found no reliable way to preserve parts of the structure safely.
She explained that laboratory tests on the building materials indicated that some sections might be demolished while others remained. However, further studies would have been required to establish whether the remaining sections could be rebuilt to meet safety standards.
“The findings from both assessments showed that it 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,” Ntirenganya said.
She urged investors and property developers to engage qualified professionals and ensure that construction work complies with the required standards and regulations.
Using professionals registered with their respective professional bodies, she added, helps ensure compliance with industry standards and accountability for the safety of buildings.
The building’s owner, Twahirwa Theoneste, said the loss was substantial, although he had not yet calculated the exact amount invested. He estimated that completing the project would have cost more than Rwf800 million.
“We have suffered a significant loss. I cannot give an exact figure yet, but we had estimated the value of the completed building at more than Rwf800 million,” he said.
Twahirwa attributed the problem not to a shortage of construction materials but to poor workmanship. He called on construction professionals to respect clients’ investments by delivering buildings that meet the required quality standards.
“When someone pays you and provides the materials, you should give them a strong, quality structure,” he said, urging builders to apply the technical knowledge they have acquired and follow professional standards.
Among the defects identified were improperly mixed cement and steel reinforcement that did not meet the requirements for a large building. Some steel bars reportedly bent under the weight of the upper section, contributing to the structure’s instability.
The City of Kigali has reiterated that using qualified construction professionals and complying with building standards are essential to protecting lives, preventing accidents and avoiding financial losses caused by poorly constructed buildings.
