Minister of Local Government Dominique Habimana has said that local government leaders who fail to deliver quality public services must be held accountable, stressing that serving citizens remains their primary responsibility.
He made the remarks on Tuesday during a consultative meeting on performance and service delivery in local government institutions, organised by the Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA), and held alongside discussions on linking data and citizen welfare to improve decision-making.
The meeting brought together more than 300 participants, including provincial governors, leaders from the City of Kigali and districts down to village level, government officials, and development partners.
Minister Habimana urged leaders to make effective use of data and statistics in planning and decision-making to improve the quality and impact of public services.
“It is important that the data and information collected is accurate and reliable so that it supports the country’s continued development,” he said.
Participants discussed ways of strengthening data use in service delivery, while also identifying challenges faced in day-to-day administration and proposing solutions to address them.
Habimana also noted that the meeting comes as local council members approach the end of their five-year mandate, describing it as a key moment to assess achievements, reflect on challenges, and draw lessons for future governance.
He reiterated that effective leaders must prioritise citizens, remain close to the people, understand national priorities, work in coordination with other institutions, and uphold integrity.
The meeting also reviewed key achievements over the past five years in local government, including improvements in citizen service delivery, expanded use of digital systems, stronger public financial management, enhanced data collection and feedback mechanisms, and increased innovation aimed at addressing community challenges.
