Rwanda Tips African Peers on Accountability, Service Delivery

By Jean d’Amour Mugabo

Representatives from Transparency International (TI) chapters across Africa have commended Rwanda for its innovative approaches to accountability and inclusive service delivery, highlighting lessons that could strengthen anti-corruption efforts in education, health, and land governance in their own countries.

The delegates were in Kigali for a three-day Chapter-to-Chapter Learning Exchange Programmeunder Transparency International’s Inclusive Service Delivery in Africa (ISDA) and Land and Corruption in Africa (LCAII) projects. Hosted by TI-Rwanda, the programme brought together participants from Madagascar, Zambia, Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Uganda to share experiences and replicate successful anti-corruption strategies. Delegates from TI Secretariat in Berlin, Germany, were also present.

Speaking to the press on the sidelines of the exchange meeting in Kigali on Wednesday, Mialisoa Randriamampianina, the Executive Director of TI-Madagascar, said the experience revealed practices her country could adopt.

“We attended a very impressive community meeting, with the participation of all kinds of people, especially women, who spoke openly about land access with the vice mayor. This is something we don’t often see in Madagascar, particularly in remote areas,” she said.

She also praised Rwanda’s clarity in public service delivery, citing hospital signboards outlining patients’ rights and obligations, and complaint mechanisms that allow citizens to raise concerns without fear. Education inclusivity also stood out for Randriamampianina. She highlighted Rwanda’s commitment to supporting girls through dedicated “girls’ rooms” in schools and school feeding programmes that remove barriers to attendance.

“It is not just motivation, it is saying to children, we believe in you,” Randriamampianina noted, adding that Rwanda’s blend of community empowerment, transparent service delivery, and institutional accountability is inspiring peers across Africa to find new ways of protecting citizens’ rights and advancing development.

The visitors toured Musanze District, where they interacted with local officials on access to land services, visited Ruhengeri Referral Hospital, GS Muhoza 1 School, and joined a vibrant community meeting in Migeshi Cell of Cyuve Sector. Delegates observed practical tools that empower citizens to demand accountability, including suggestion boxes in hospitals and schools, as well as structured community assemblies known as Inteko z’Abaturage.

Nervious Himabala, the TI Zambiastaff member, described Rwanda as “taking a lead in the fight against corruption,” stressing the value of such peer exchanges. “The whole idea is to share best practices so that, as part of the same movement, we can holistically fight corruption. Rwanda’s collaboration across public, private, and civil society sectors is a model we can learn from,” he said.

Dr. Bruce Gashema, a researcher at Transparency International Rwanda, explained that Rwanda was chosen to host the “chapter-to-chapter exchange” because of its strong record in empowering citizens to demand accountability.

“We wanted our colleagues to see how Rwandans work directly with their leaders to question and improve services. In many countries, such avenues for citizens to challenge poor service delivery are either weak or non-existent,” he said.

Rwanda’s Reforms Paying Off

At the global level, Annie Rose Healion, TI’s Coordinator of Advocacy and Legal Advice Centres, praised TI-Rwanda’s strong partnerships with communities and institutions. She emphasized that exchanges like these help chapters commit to both learning and implementation, ensuring lessons travel beyond borders.

According to TI’s concept note, the Kigali exchange is designed to strengthen citizen engagement, integrate gender-responsive approaches, and promote evidence-based advocacy against corruption. By the end of the visit, participants are expected to identify practical reforms that can be adapted to their national contexts.

The delegates’ observations align with Rwanda’s broader progress in global rankings. In the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), Rwanda achieved its highest-ever score of 57 out of 100, up from 53 in 2023, climbing to 43rd globally, 3rd in Sub-Saharan Africa, and retaining its position as the least corrupt country in East Africa.

Complementing this, the 2024 Rwanda Bribery Index (RBI) reports an 18.5% drop in bribery encounters, with the prevalence of bribery falling to 2.10%, down from 2.60% in 2023. These results underline the country's steady progress in strengthening transparency, institutional accountability, and citizen trust, values that fellow African chapters are keen to take home from the Kigali exchange.