From 19th position in 2014-2015 to the 2nd place in 2015-2016 performance contracts, Gicumbi district has demonstrated the importance of collective commitment towards achieving shared goals.
From 19th position in 2014-2015 to the 2nd place in 2015-2016 performance contracts, Gicumbi district has demonstrated the importance of collective commitment towards achieving shared goals.
Gicumbi district in Northern Province occupies a surface area of 829km2 with a population of 424,000 people.
It is divided into 21 sectors namely; Bukure, Bwisige, Byumba, Cyumba, Giti, Kaniga, Manyagiro, Miyove, Kageyo, Mukarange, Muko, Mutete, Nyamiyaga, Nyankenke II, Rubaya, Rukomo, Rushaki, Rutare, Ruvune, Rwamiko and Shangasha with 109 cells and 630 villages.
Boosting second position
Gicumbi district mayor Juvenal Mudaheranwa says that progressing towards the second position in the just concluded performance contracts is an exciting indicator of their collective efforts.
He says that from February after swearing in for a new five year mandate, they set measures like following up the execution of performance contracts with both directly and indirectly concerned individuals and institutions.
"The district nominated a ‘quality assurance team’ which we consider like Imihigo monitoring officers with responsibilities of assessing the progress of execution of targeted activities, reporting and evaluation,” explains the mayor.
The district also conducted three self-assessment and evaluation exercises with the support of the Ministry of Local Government and Provincial leadership.
"By assessing the sustainability of previous activities done and their impacts to the population, the district also generated good grades. Among top activities we had include; Milk CollectionCenters and Mutete water channel that changed lives of a big number of populations,” he reminisces.
Good governance and Justice
"Attained development and activities can be futile if there is no justice and good governance; meanwhile for ensuring sustainability of our activities and new progress, we need to tighten and cultivate the culture of good services among civil servants,” Mudaheranwa explains.
The Citizen Report Card published by Rwanda Governance Board in 2015 has revealed that in Gicumbi District there still appears injustice, corruption and nepotism cases especially in social development programmes like Girinka and VUP.
In a move to uproot these challenges, the district council organized a retreat which came out with measures to fight against the culture of neglecting community concerns byleaders and citizens, as well as denouncing leaders who offer poor services. to
"We conducted campaigns to change people’s mindset and perceptions about leaders and their responsibilities. This also goes together with going to citizens, understand and resolve their complaints,” he said.
Economic development
Every year in performance contracts, the district targets various projects to advance the progress of economic development.
According to the mayor, the economic development in the district relies on agriculture and animal resources; this implies that they invest much in sensitizing people to embrace modern agricultural practices and programmes that aim at improving animal resources.
"This district produces big quantities of milk which is why we have invested much in building milk collection centers to ensure safety and add value before taking it to Kigali” the mayor says.
The district has also consolidated land for Irish potatoes, beans, wheat and maize which resulted in harvesting 28.83 tons of Irish potatoes per hector, 3.5 tons of climbing beans and one ton of bush beans per hectare, 5.5 tons of maize and 3.6 tons of wheat per hectare.
"Actually Gicumbi residents are rich. What remains is to link their richness with a progressive mindset,” says the district leader.
Health and Social welfare.
Gicumbi has one district hospital, health centers in all sectors and health posts in some cells. There is a project to upgrade Rutare health center to the hospital level with the first phase already completed, including a maternity ward.
According to the mayor, social welfare in the district is still hindered by scarcity of clean water following the displaced and mountainous settlements they live in, but are coming up with a sustainable solution.
The mayor assures Gicumbi residents that following different projects they have, in 2020 access to clean water will be covered at 100%.
Infrastructures
The district has three processing plants s namely; Mulindi Tea Factory, Pembe Industries that processes wheat and Blessed Dairy. Different roads linking sectors in the district including feeder roads have been constructed while Kigali-Gatuna road has been rehabilitated.
The district is awaiting a new road Base-Gicumbi-Nyagatare which will provide more opportunities in trade.
Education
In promoting education, the district refers to government education programmes and policies, including strengthening school feeding programme in 12-year basic education, to tackle school dropouts, building new classrooms to create good environment for students and doing inspections that aim at assessing quality of education.
Last word
"Briefly as Inkomezamihigo , let’s use available opportunities, participate in execution of performance contracts and preserve established infrastructures for excelling in everyday activities” mayor Mudaheranwa advises.