Governance Factors Affecting Citizens Participation in District Performance in Rwamagana District, Rwanda Local Government
- March 28, 2019
- Posted by: RSIS
- Category: Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue III, March 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186
NDAGIJIMANA Ibrahim
PhD Student, Governance and Leadership, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the persistent reasons behind limited participation of citizens in the planning, monitoring and evaluation of the performance contract in the local government of Rwanda.
The study also has investigated the factors and actors contributing and influencing citizens participation as well as causes for low levels of citizen participation. A total of 97 respondents from among the citizen’s members were interviewed through questionnaires. Others were local leaders; Executive secretaries of sector and District Executive members and Councillors were also interviewed and involved in the FGD.
Data were analysed, interpreted and presented the results using tabulations, figures and graphs. The analysis showed that the citizens were participated in the performance contract in the local government and people were participating through budget consultation meetings, performance contracts planning, monitoring and evaluation though at appreciable level using various citizen participation channels that government of Rwanda initiated.
The analysis also showed that, the government of Rwanda is politically willing and committed to work transparently and make accountable all leaders including both at central and local through provision of various citizens participation channels including community outreach’s (Inteko z’abaturage), community work (Umuganda), parent’s evening forums (Umugoroba w’ababyeyi) to mention but a few.
The study showed the benefits of citizen’s participation in the performance contracts implementation as well as speed up the implementation of the government programs and policies towards, middle income country as per Vision 2020. Among the benefits of engaging active citizens participation in the local government performance contracts includes increase of citizen ownership, transparency, accountability and social, economic development, which doesn’t leave anyone behind.
The study also indicated that there is significant relationship between active (strong) citizen’s participation and the local government performance contracts implementation and this towards good governance.
It noted that, participatory governance as a subset of good governance since it consists of state- sanctioned institutional processes that provide effective avenues to citizens to exercise their rights to voice their ideas, to vote constantly, directly and indirectly, and to contribute to the formulation and implementation of performance contract in the local government which in turn, produce substantial changes in their lives.
Despite the government efforts, study showed some weaknesses to be fixed in the local government layers (Village to Districts) being the incidence of low citizens participation, ineffective implementation of performance contracts, decrease of ownership and unsustainable development which were mentioned to weaker citizen’s participation in local government performance contract. It was therefore recommended that, people is the first owner and partner of local government success that influencing the good governance principles which contribute positively the active citizen’s participation in performance contracts.
