“Amata y’ikibanza”: Construction sector remains a corruption hotspot in Rwanda

By The Inspirer. 

Rwanda’s construction sector has emerged as one of the areas facing persistent corruption risks, with reports of some officials allegedly demanding illegal payments from citizens seeking building permits.

The issue was raised by Apollinaire Mupiganyi, Executive Director of Transparency International Rwanda, during a public dialogue organised by the Office of the Ombudsman on July 10, 2026, ahead of the African Anti-Corruption Day.

Mupiganyi said the practice, locally referred to as “amata y’ikibanza” (milk of the plot), involves individuals allegedly requesting unofficial payments to facilitate access to construction-related services.

He cited a case where a citizen spent a long time trying to obtain a building permit after allegedly being asked for a bribe by an official responsible for issuing permits.

“The citizen had even recorded conversations showing how he was being asked for a bribe. After we followed up on the case and accompanied him, he received the permit because it had already been signed,” Mupiganyi said.

He noted that it remained unclear whether the official suspected of demanding the payment was prosecuted, calling for stronger action against corruption cases.

Mupiganyi said failure to consistently punish those involved in corruption weakens public confidence in anti-corruption efforts and urged relevant institutions to strengthen investigations and accountability mechanisms.

The Rwanda Bribery Index 2025 by Transparency International Rwanda identified obtaining construction permits as the service with the highest reported bribery risk, at 22.90%, although this represented an improvement compared with previous findings.

The Ombudsman General, Madeleine Nirere, urged citizens to continue reporting corruption, saying accountability requires cooperation between institutions and the public.

She said Rwanda has continued expanding digital service delivery, with more than 1,000 services now available through digital platforms, as part of efforts to reduce opportunities for corruption.

Nirere explained that digital systems in areas such as building permit applications help reduce unnecessary interactions between service providers and citizens, limiting opportunities for improper requests.

“Before these systems were introduced, some engineers would ask citizens for money while claiming they could help them obtain building permits,” she said.

Justice Minister and Attorney General Dr Emmanuel Ugirashebuja said preventing and fighting corruption remains a key priority in Rwanda’s development agenda.

He said good governance, integrity and respect for the law are essential for building a country that creates equal opportunities for citizens.

Under Rwanda’s anti-corruption laws, corruption offences do not expire, meaning suspects can be prosecuted whenever evidence is established. Those convicted may face imprisonment and financial penalties, while assets linked to corruption can be confiscated in accordance with the law.