By Jean d’Amour Mugabo
Experts, diplomats and Civil Society Organisations have called on the Government of Rwanda to raise citizens’ participation in decision-making and accommodate opposing demands as the country heads to presidential and legislative elections.
The call was made in Kigali on Thursday at the closing of a two-day conference organised by Never Again Rwanda in collaboration with the Netherland’s embassy, among other partners.
“Let’s review and adapt our legal frameworks and participatory processes to promote greater inclusivity, transparency, and accountability in decision-making. We also need to invest in capacity-building initiatives for both government officials and citizens, equipping them with the necessary skills for effective participation in governance processes,” said Dr Joseph Nkurunziza Ryarasa, the Executive Director of Never Again Rwanda (NAR).
Under the theme “Strengthening Citizen Participation in Decision-Making in Rwanda,” the conference attracted representatives of Rwanda’s Government, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other non-state actors, and experts from across Africa.
Participants rooted for an open and constructive dialogue among all stakeholders, including political parties, CSOs, and the government in a bid to address emerging challenges and collectively shape Africa’s future.
Renowned regional journalist Charles Onyango-Obbo said African countries should promote a culture of open political debate especially among presidential candidates. However, he said it is hard for other candidates to compete with some African incumbent Heads of State with a strong historical background such as Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni or late Ethiopia’s Meles Zenawi, among others.
Gilbert Sendugwa, the Executive Director of the Africa Freedom of Information Centre, said some groups of the population are not sufficiently engaged on matters of governance in Africa.
“Most youth feel they don’t have space to engage with their leaders; some of them think their priorities are not being addressed. So, governments should allow free flow of information, both online and offline, and strive to be responsive to issues raised by their constituents,” he said.
Dr. Nansozi Muwanga, the Executive Director of Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre, slammed regional CSOs for not doing enough to hold governments accountable on political issues.
Dr. Roba Sharamo, the Regional Director for Africa and West Asia Programme of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, also urged CSOs to improve their capacity and work, saying “there have been instances in African countries where non-state actors have played the crucial role of delivering services to societies where governments have been ineffective.”
Discussions revolved around elections in Africa, decentralization and participatory governance, the role of non-state actors, and Rwanda’s consensual democracy and power-sharing system.
Minister of Local Government, Jean Claude Musabyimana said the country has made and will continue to make tireless efforts to strengthen citizens’ participation and engagement in the democratic governance.
“Our commitment to consensual democracy and citizen participation is enshrined in our constitution, laying the foundation for a resilient and inclusive political landscape,” he said, adding the government remains open to various views for further improvements.
Rwanda Governance Scorecard report indicates that citizen participation in decision-making was at 85.1% in 2023.
Rwanda heads to presidential and parliamentary polls on July 15. Two presidential candidates have so far announced their bid for the office. These are the incumbent President Paul Kagame of the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) and legislator Dr Frank Habineza running on the ticket of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda.
