Kigali finds 82 of 128 inspected buildings non-compliant on sanitation

A compliance inspection by the City of Kigali has found that most buildings assessed so far fall short of sanitation and wastewater standards. As of September 7, 2026, 128 buildings had been inspected, of which 34, or 27%, were compliant, 12, or 9%, were partially compliant and 82, or 64%, were non-compliant, City of Kigali spokesperson Emma-Claudine Ntirenganya told The New Times.

The inspection intensified after the Inkundamahoro Building in the Nyabugogo area was closed over sanitation, safety and environmental concerns. The city has not published the full list of buildings inspected and says the exercise will continue, with particular attention to buildings that have wastewater treatment systems or where sanitation concerns have been raised.

Ntirenganya said the main issues identified include inadequate maintenance of wastewater treatment systems, including cases where there is no licensed maintenance company or skilled operator. Other problems include a failure to regularly test treated wastewater to ensure it meets required environmental discharge standards, and wastewater from septic tanks being discharged without the additional filtration and disinfection that is required.

"Some owners and managers of buildings deliberately disconnected electricity from their sewage treatment systems, preventing the systems from operating properly. Some sewage treatment plants were found to need repairs, upgrades or better maintenance to ensure they function properly," she said.

Owners and managers of non-compliant buildings were informed about the specific problems identified and ordered to correct them within a timeframe depending on the nature and extent of the issue, with follow-up inspections to verify compliance. Where a building owner fails to comply within the given timeframe, the city said enforcement measures are applied in line with the requirements.