The City of Kigali has said mud bricks or adobe are not allowed to be used in construction of commercial buildings, churches, or mosques The announcement was made on Wednesday, April 2, as part of guidelines aimed at regulating the construction sector and improving building standards, stress that the use of mud bricks (locally known as rukarakara) should be limited to specific types of residential buildings only. ALSO READ: Why Housing Authority revised guidelines on using mud bricks The statement highlights key points regarding the production and use of rukarakara bricks. First, it is now illegal to make these bricks without proper authorization from the Rwanda Housing Authority (RHA). Builders must undergo training and acquire certification before producing rukarakara bricks for any construction project. Additionally, selling rukarakara bricks has been banned, with a clear stipulation that these bricks should only be produced for residential buildings on approved construction sites. According to the RHA's standards, rukarakara bricks are allowed only in the construction of residential buildings. They can be used for both interior and exterior walls of homes, but the size of the building must not exceed 200 square meters, and it must not have a basement. ALSO READ: Housing Authority to issue fresh guidelines on use of rukarakara To ensure the structural integrity of homes built with rukarakara bricks, the RHA has outlined specific standards for their production. The recommended dimensions for the bricks are between 20 and 30 centimeters in height, 20 to 25 centimeters in width, and 10 to 15 centimeters in verticality. Furthermore, every house built using rukarakara bricks must have a solid foundation made of cement, sand, and stone, with a minimum depth of 40 centimeters and a height of 20 centimeters above the ground.
