Nyamagabe District in the Southern Province emerged the overall winner in achieving the 2008 Performance Contracts commonly known as ‘Imihigo’, scoring 89.1 percent.

It had to beat stiff competition from Northern Province’s Rulindo District that emerged second with a 87.5 percent score and last year’s winner Nyagatare District from the Eastern Pronvince. It slipped to third place with an 85.1 percent score.

Nyamagabe managed to fulfil most of its 2008 Performance contract pledges. It also performed equally well in all 4 target areas which include good governance, judiciary, economy and social welfare.

According to the assessment done by the Ministry of Local Government and the Prime Minister’s Office, some of the areas in which Nyamagabe excelled include doubling agricultural output through modern farming, infrastructure development, implementing the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS) and MDGs and the near completion of all Gacaca cases in the district.

The top ten winners were announced at the closure of the 6th National Dialogue on Friday at Parliament.

The Minister of Local Government, Protais Musoni who announced the winners said that Government has set aside good prizes that will motivate districts to perform even better in 2009. He however, urged districts that didn’t perform within the top ten to take advantage of next year in order to emerge on top.

On top of a Golden trophy, the winner walked away with a laptop, a printer and a power point projector to help the district in administrative functions.

Prime Minister, Bernard Makuza, thanked all the districts for the effort they put in pursuing the performance contracts as they are key to the development of the nation and urged them to stick to the promise they made in 2009.

The National dialogue also adopted the outcomes of the meeting which include continued promotion of Good Governance at all levels of society through, among others, adopting a tougher stance on corruption, especially through information sharing at all levels.

At the same meeting it was also agreed that corrupt individuals receive severe punishments if convicted. More reforms will also be made in the National Commission on Genocide to give it more capacity to combat the Genocide ideology from the grassroots, beginning with young children and youth especially in schools.

This plan will also involve parents, teachers, religious leaders and elders who will be the ones to educate young people on dangers of the Genocide Ideology.

The Commission was also asked to draft the criteria and design of all Genocide Memorial Centres that are yet to be constructed and quickly complete the process of ascertaining the official figures of those massacred in the 1994 Genocide against Tutsis.

As earlier decided, the Rwf 20.000 hitherto charged by local governments to give certificates of ownership was scrapped as it was found out to be a source of corruption and lack of accountability while everything will be done to see that Gacaca courts wind up as soon as possible after completing all cases early next year.

The national dialogue also gave the go ahead to the 9 year education plan and that the transition to English as the language of instruction in schools should be completed in 3 years time as planned.

Teaching of the Kinyarwanda language in schools from Primary one will be maintained, as a uniting factor. Other areas discussed included promotion of ICT, finding alternative ways to increase economic growth to make Rwanda ‘the African Tiger’ in 10 years time as well as streamlining the financial sector inline with ICT, so that rural people can also benefit.

The creation of a domestic fund to finance development programmes was also considered and the decision by Rwandans in the Diaspora to create a development fund for Rwanda was also put under serious consideration.

In his concluding remarks, President Paul Kagame said that the performance contracts are not a role for the leaders only but for everyone at all levels. He also said that the contribution of TIG to national development should be reviewed to see that the country utilizes the opportunity.

"Keeping convicts in prison as we give them free food is not a good idea, but we would rather make them play their part in national development as they serve their time,” he said.

He also said the idea of a Diaspora fund is one to be carefully studied because it is very vital, adding that the Asian Tigers heavily relied on remittances from abroad during their economic transformation.

Ends