In recent days, employees working in the building were informed to prepare for relocation. In a statement released on Monday, RDB stated that institutions previously operating in the building will be temporarily moved to alternative office spaces.
“Until the new premises are ready, One Stop Centre services are available at the Ground Floor of the Ministry of Infrastructure [Kimihurura KG 1 Roundabout, Kigali]. Other services will continue through RDB’s existing digital platforms,” reads the statement.
Institutions housed in the RDB Building include RDB, RCB, RMB, and RHA.
A building that has long attracted controversy
The RDB Building, located in Gishushu, is a 12-storey structure with four underground floors that can be used for various purposes, including parking and gym facilities. It has a total floor area of approximately 42,000 square metres.
The building was purchased by the government for Rwf 42 billion after concerns had been raised over its quality standards. The Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA) previously stated that it had conducted assessments to determine whether the building met required standards.
Analyses reportedly revealed several structural and construction-related issues, prompting corrective measures linked to both design and construction flaws.
Over time, these problems are said to have persisted and, in some cases, worsened, leading to growing concerns about the safety of occupants and the need for urgent intervention.
As a result, authorities decided to relocate all services from the building to ensure the safety of users while renovation works are undertaken.
The Deputy Director General of RHA, Dr Noël Nsanzineza, previously told Members of Parliament that, under the purchase agreement, the original owner was responsible for correcting the identified defects.
He stated: “According to the sale agreement, the issues were supposed to be corrected by the building’s owner. However, the contract also included a clause allowing us to withhold about Rwf 2 billion if the corrections were not made. The owner failed to fully address the problems despite some attempts, and we eventually decided to withhold the funds.”
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