Nyanza District is targeting 100 per cent insurance coverage in the financial year 2015/16.

Mayor Abdallah Murenzi said the district wants to achieve 100 per cent of health insurance coverage, up from the 69 per cent recorded last fiscal year.

"In last year’s performance contracts health insurance coverage was low. But now, I am confident that our target will be met,” he said.

He was speaking at a general assembly that brought together local leaders from the district and development partners.

Adiel Nayigiziki, a grassroots leader in Kigoma Sector, said they have devised a new system for people to save health insurance premiums in groups to be able to pay for health insurance.

"This approach has enabled people to pay for health insurance easily since it can be done in installments. A person can pay Rwf200, Rwf100 or Rwf50 which accumulates gradually or in case someone fails to raise the whole amount in time we extend credit to them from our savings,” Nayigiziki said.

The village has about 605 people with more than 140 households.

Nayigiziki said the approach was conceived after realising that some people were getting difficulties in paying at once.

"Mobilisation and change of mentality were key to this achievement. People realised the importance of health insurance,” he said.

Meanwhile, the event also served as an occasion to celebrate the award that Nyanza District received in the last financial year, 2014/15.

The district scored 80.5 per cent, emerging third in performance contracts (Imihigo).

All the achievements we have made so far are a result of everyone’s hard work, Murenzi told participants.

The district targets to create 6,500 off-farm jobs this financial year , increase the number of expectant mothers delivering from hospitals to 96 per cent and  increase electricity access to 23 from 20.1 per cent of households.

 "We will have completed an electricity line from Busasamana Sector, through Rwabicuma to Nyagisozi Sector, which will connect about 4,000 households to the national grid,” he said.  

The district also distributed notebooks for family performance contracts, which Murenzi said would help monitor progress from the household level.

"Residents have the key to socio-economic activities. We are coordinators and advisers. Performance contracts are for the people and they should put more efforts in their implementation,” he said.

The Southern Province governor Alphonse Munyantwari said performance of districts depends on the input of residents.

He urged district residents to deliver on their targets right from the household level and ensure regular monitoring and evaluation.

"The economic development we want will not be achieved unless each Rwandan household increases their (economic) capacity,” he said.

Murenzi said last financial year, the district mobilised Rwf485 million in tax while this time round the target is to collect up to Rwf703 million.

The district’s budget for the financial year 2015/2016 is Rwf10.70 billion.

In the last four years, Nyanza District performance has been gradually improving; ranking 22^nd in 2012/13, 15^th in 2013/14, seventh in 2013/14 and third in 2014/15.