THE FIGHT AGAINST corruption is a collective responsibility and everyone should make an effort to tackle the vice, top anti-corruption officials have said.

The call was made, yesterday, in Huye District during the launch of this year’s Anti-Corruption Week, a period that focuses on intensive campaign to raise awareness on graft and engage the public in the fight against it.

The Week will be characterised by various activities, including on-field and public awareness campaigns, media education programmes on corruption as well as sports competitions.

The Anti-Corruption Week will culminate in the marking of the International Anti-corruption Day on December 9.

The day will be marked at a time when Rwanda continues to register great achievements, both on the continent and globally, in preventing and combating corruption.

Chief Ombudsman Aloysie Cyanzayire said Rwanda has registered tremendous achievements in the fight against corruption and injustice, attributing the success to relentless efforts to fight the vice.

However, she said a lot still needs to be done to eradicate graft, noting that the fight against corruption "is a collective responsibility.”

"It is not a task that can be handled by one individual or one entity. It is our collective responsibility as Rwandans,” Cyanzayire said.

"It just takes one to be committed, engaged and determined [to fight corruption]. If everyone understands the effects of corruption on the life and development of a country, then they should all be committed to this fight,” she added.

Achievements

Rwanda is among the top 50 world countries succeeding in the fight against corruption. The country tops the East African region and comes fourth on the continent.

For several years in a row, the country has managed to maintain its position as the least corrupt country in the Eastern and Central African region. 

Officials attribute the success to persistent efforts against corruption, good governance, public awareness, among others.

The Minister in the Office of the President, Venantie Tugireyezu, said the achievements are results of deliberate policies and mechanisms put in place to fight corruption and injustice.

Tugireyezu said competent institutions were established, sound anti-corruption laws enacted and policies established to try and counter levels of corruption within the community.

Steadfastness 

She also cited continued public education campaigns on the evils of corruption and their role in the battle as well as the encouragement of the Rwandan values among other strategies that made the country more successful in the anti-graft war.

"We should not relent nor sit and relax,” she said. "We should remain steadfast until emerge totally victorious.”

She said several research findings continue to show that corruption is still within the community and that it remains an issue that still needs to be fought with courage and commitment.

The minister also urged leaders to desist from any form of corruption, including nepotism and embezzlement of public property.