She made the remarks in an interview with Rwanda Broadcasting Agency (RBA), following the City of Kigali's announcement that the buildings would be temporarily closed over non-compliance with fire prevention regulations.

In a statement issued on November 4, 2026, the City of Kigali said the buildings would be closed from 7 p.m. on Friday, November 6, to allow their owners and occupants to implement the required fire prevention measures.

The decision followed inspections conducted to assess compliance with fire safety regulations in various commercial buildings.

Ntirenganya said the inspections identified several shortcomings, including outdated fire extinguishers, missing firefighting equipment and a lack of regular checks to ensure that fire safety systems were functioning properly.

“In some places, fire extinguishers were found to be old and had not been replaced. In other cases, essential fire prevention materials, such as sand that should be available in parking areas, were missing,” she said.

She added that some buildings also had problems with firefighting equipment, including water hoses designed to provide water in the event of a fire.

She warned that the absence of such equipment or failure to maintain it could allow fires to spread quickly, destroy property and put people's lives at risk.

Another issue identified during the inspections was the practice of traders placing goods in corridors and other passageways intended for pedestrians, which is prohibited.

Ntirenganya explained that these passages must remain clear to allow people to evacuate buildings quickly in the event of a fire or another emergency.

Using corridors to display or store merchandise can block escape routes, increasing the risk of injuries and fatalities when people try to leave a building during an emergency.

She emphasised that the closures were not intended to disrupt businesses but to protect the lives of people working in and visiting the buildings, as well as prevent losses that could result from fires.

“These measures are essentially intended to protect people's lives because when a fire breaks out, someone can die while trying to put it out, or they may find themselves trapped inside a building without being able to get out,” she said.

Ntirenganya urged traders and owners of commercial buildings to strengthen compliance with fire safety regulations to protect people and their property.

She also encouraged them to insure their property, saying insurance could help reduce financial losses resulting from fire incidents.

The 10 buildings scheduled for temporary closure include Catchup Building in Gisementi, Gatenga and Gahanga SME Centres, Rwanda Foam Showroom in Gikondo, KAL Plaza in Gikondo and N&B Plaza in Kigarama.

The others are Eden Tower, Matheus House, Ntaganzwa House and Ndaru Arcade, all located in Nyarugenge District.

The City of Kigali said the buildings must first implement the required fire prevention measures before they can resume operations, in the interest of protecting the lives of occupants and visitors.