The National Public Service Commission has told both chambers of Parliament that failures by public institution leaders to comply with employment laws cost the government more than Rwf83 million in the 2025/2026 financial year.
The figures are contained in the Commission’s annual activity report for 2025/2026, presented to Parliament on October 21, 2026.
Members of Parliament called for swift action against officials whose unlawful decisions lead to court cases that the government loses, arguing that those responsible should be held accountable and required to compensate the state for the resulting losses.
During the reporting period, the Commission analysed 40 employment-related court cases involving 22 public institutions. The analysis found that the government had been ordered to pay more than Rwf83 million, including Rwf68 million in damages and more than Rwf14 million to protect employees’ rights in matters that could have been resolved without going to court.
The report also identified cases in which the government won disputes involving claims of about Rwf26 million, including amounts related to employees’ demands, lawyers’ fees and litigation expenses.
Lawmakers questioned why taxpayers should continue bearing these costs when some cases result from officials’ mistakes. They argued that those found responsible for decisions that cause financial losses should personally bear the consequences.
Senator Dr Frank Habineza called for stronger measures to ensure that public officials are held individually accountable, in accordance with the law, when they make unlawful decisions that expose the government to financial losses.
“Does the Commission believe that awareness campaigns and training are sufficient, or are additional measures needed to prevent these mistakes from recurring?” he asked.
Sebagabo Muhire Bernabe, acting chairperson of the National Public Service Commission, pointed to the role of the Ministry of Justice in following up on such cases, particularly those involving officials whose decisions cause financial losses to the government.
“The law provides that a leader whose mistakes cause financial losses to the government must pay personally. Seven officials were notified to pay, but two responded that the mistakes occurred before they assumed their positions. The other five are still being followed up to ensure they are held accountable for the losses caused by their decisions,” he said.
Beyond court-related losses, the Commission identified other irregularities in recruitment and staff placement, including hiring candidates who do not meet the required qualifications, corruption in recruitment and examination cheating.
Such irregularities can result in employees being dismissed for failing to meet their obligations in accordance with the law.
Sebagabo said 386 public servants faced disciplinary action during the period. Of these, 123 were dismissed, 88 were suspended without pay for three months, 10 were suspended without pay for two months and 53 were suspended without pay for one month. Another 91 received reprimands, while 21 were formally warned.
In the 2025/2026 financial year, the Commission received 10,446 appeals. Recruitment and staff placement accounted for 95.7 per cent of the appeals, while the remaining 4.3 per cent concerned the management of employees already in public service.
Kazarwa Geltrude, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, said the report would be referred to a joint parliamentary committee for further examination.
