At around 2pm yesterday, parts of City of Kigali were cut off the internet, forcing senior government officials to convene an impromptu meeting.

The cut-off came after Enterprise General Construction Company (EGC), the contactor tasked to build a new Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning extension wing, damaged fibre optic cable meant to supply internet to most parts of the city.

The incident breached the new construction guidelines issued on December 9 2014, where those constructing must first secure a safe passage for the underground infrastructure, including water pipes, electricity wiring and internet cabling before commencing actual construction.

At the meeting, James Musoni, the minister for infrastructure, urged contractors to follow the rules and guidelines or risk jail and having their permits revoked.

According to Musoni, government will no longer tolerate construction companies involved in unprofessional conduct and shoddy works around the country.

They should know they will also be required to pay a heavy penalty if they don’t follow construction guidelines, he said.

The City of Kigali recently unveiled a new digital system for issuing and managing building permits online.

The electronic Building Permit Management Information System (eBPMIS) is designed to digitise building permit issuing services in the City of Kigali and secondary cities and to improve service delivery.

However, Minister Musoni said builders risk losing these permits if they don’t  adhere to the standards.

Engineers arrested

Meanwhile Police yesterday arrested three engineers   in connection with internet sabotage in the city.

The engineers, according to Police spokesperson Theos Badege, are being investigated for not following proper guidelines on a construction site.

The engineers are attached to the EGC construction company.

Once convicted, both the engineers and the construction company could pay up to 10 times the losses incurred as a result of internet disconnection in the city yesterday, Badege told The New Times, insisting that contractors ought to know the consequences of not respecting the guidelines.

City mayor Pascal Nyamulinda said they were working with all relevant institutions to further streamline construction business across the city.

"We will continue to strengthen our monitoring mechanisms to ensure   developers are following the guidelines and delivering quality infrastructure,” he said.

The City is currently working on a roads expansion project to ease traffic and facilitate easy movements across Kigali. The mega project is expected to cost about $76 million.

However, experts are warning of more   cases of underground infrastructure interference as the city embarks on the road expansion effort.

Meanwhile, Amb. Claver Gatete, the minister for finance and economic planning, said works on the new extension wing will continue according  to plan despite  yesterday’s incident.

editorial@newtimes.co.rw