Six people in Ngoma District on Wednesday tendered in their resignation, citing personal reasons. They include three technical staff at the district and two local leaders.

Their resignation letters were submitted to the district.

The district's staff members are Jean d'Amour Rubwiriza, who was Director of Business Development and Employment (BDE) and Judith Murekatete, Director of Education (DDE).

The other two members of staff are the Public Relations, Media and Communications Officer, Jean Bosco Sibomana, and Uyiringiye Phenias, the advisor to the executive committee of the district.

The district also saw the resignation of the executive secretary of Rukumberi Sector, Arcade Muragijemungu, and Christine Uwingeneye, who was the leader of Musya Cell in Rurenge Sector.

Speaking to The New Times, Cyriaque Nyiridandi Mapambano, the vice mayor in charge of economic development, played down the resignation, saying that it was a "simple" letter they wrote at their own will.

"All of them cited personal reasons, and that they wanted to concentrate on other businesses," he said, adding that all the resigned officials declared their intentions to quit public service.

"Sometimes one says, I found another job opportunity, and it is allowed for public servant to quit for other job," he explained.

Mapambano also cited that quitting is an option for a public servant when they feel that they are no longer able to deliver. 

"That is what we think, but these ones might have their own reasons; they did not mention in the letters," he noted.

Resigning in local leadership is nothing out of the ordinary; from Mid-September to the latest departures, in Eastern Province alone, 16 district officials and staffers, and executive secretaries at sector and cell levels officially gave up their public service responsibilities.