Rwanda : Local leaders want timely info on govt programs

Sector leaders in Ngororero, Nyabihu, Rutsiro and Rubavu districts have said that the abrupt information on government development programs impedes their implementation of the responsibilities.

The leader made the remarks during a capacity building training sessions that was sponsored by RALGA. The training was aimed at empowering the leaders with skills in service sector and good governance.

According to Nizeyimana Bartazard, a RALGA training expert, this kind of training was necessary since there have been some reports from residents who are given poor services by local government officials.

The sector leaders also discussed the way forward in terms of providing better services and coming up with possible solutions to address the issues raised by the community.

They stated the some of the issues that have impeded the implementation of performance contracts and services have been caused by lack of support staff at the sector offices, and abrupt announcement of new government policies- which deter them from pursuing the already existing community programs.

Etienne Mvano, the executive secretary of Bugeshi sector in Rubavu district, stated that such trainings and open discussions among local leaders would improve their perspective and ability to provide better services.

The Rwandese Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA) is a membership organization that brings together local governments in Rwanda. It has derived its reason for existence from the decentralization process, which is meant to transfer authority, resources, responsibility and accountability from Central to Local Government.

The move is within the framework of good political and economic governance as formulated in the long term country’s vision 2020. Although its establishment goes back to 2002, RALGA was inaugurated and officially launched in 2003.