Kigali remainder of the colonial era, as much of the administration took place in Ruanda-Urundi's capital Usumbura, now known as Bujumbura in Burundi. Usumbura's population exceeded 50,000 during the 1950s, and was the colony's only European-style city, while Kigali's population remained at around 6,000 until independence in 1962. Kigali become the capital upon Rwandan independence in 1962. The traditional capital was the seat of the "mwami" (Kings Yuhi V, Mutara III and Kigeli IV) in Nyanza, while the colonial seat of power was in Butare, then known as Astrida. Butare was initially the leading contender to be the capital of the
Kigali City Tower within the tower. Sekoko contracted Chinese company China Civil Engineering Construction to construct the building, and also sourced raw materials from his own depot in Guangzhou, China. The building was completed in early 2011, and retailers and companies began to occupy the space thereafter. The three-screen Century Cinema complex was completed in March 2013 and opened in May 2013. Kigali City Tower is on Avenue du Commerce, also known as KN 76 Street, in Nyarugenge District, which is the central business district of Kigali. The building is on the site of the former central bus station, which was closed in