Editor,

RE: "Effective communication should be at the heart of every CoK decision” (The New Times, August 5).

It is good to see that the City of Kigali authorities are responsive to their public’s opinion. Let us hope they remain so, and in fact build on it.

We know there will be occasions when the authorities might believe it is necessary to go against the majority views in the interest of achieving better. It is, in any case, not always clear what the majority view is, as those of us able to express ourselves in the media—whether conventional or social—do not necessarily always represent that majority; we are only able to seem to be because we are able to take advantage of the various media available to us, and not everyone is able to do that.

It is moreover arguable if the majority view is always the most right or legitimate, and should therefore always be followed no matter other, perhaps equally legitimate considerations. In any case, leadership means making choices, including unpopular but necessary ones.

But, if the authorities do not address such views in a timely manner and simply ignore them, then they end up looking merely authoritarian and insensitive to their constituents’ concerns; a thoroughly losing proposition, if there is any.

We therefore look forward to continued and more improved communication from our City authorities.

MK