Since the end of the genocide, Rwanda has rebuilt a strong state, one of the most effective among low-income countries according to different governance indicators. Intriguingly, the Rwandan case does not seem to clearly follow the patterns of other African countries whereby few effective public organizations exist in an otherwise relatively dysfunctional governance context. Under the Rwandan dominant political settlement, while some organisations clearly over-perform, performance is relatively well distributed in the state apparatus. In addition, research suggests that the differentials between “pockets of effectiveness” and the rest of the state might be smaller than observed elsewhere. The paper aims at understanding this phenomenon and interrogates whether post-genocide Rwanda is actually pursing a relatively distinct state building project. More generally, the paper reflects on how the Rwandan case can help understanding the conditions under which pockets of effectiveness can spread and constitute a feasible basis for broader state building.