When two people or more are in dispute and unable to sort it out by themselves, through the village or cell meeting, the pursuit of the solution continues to the community mediation, or ‘Abunzi’ level, which operates every week in all cells and sectors of the country.

This, according to the Justice Ministry, is where above 74 per cent of disputes are resolved, amicably, with the rest of them going into formal courts procedures.

Ordinary citizens, local and central government officials and international communities describe this ‘home-grown solution’ as extraordinary and hail its contribution to the community social cohesion.

Busingye gives a certificate to one of mediators in Ruramira, Kayonza.

The mediators, who work as volunteers under renewable five-year tenure, have two levels; the tribunals of first instance at cell level and the appeals committee at the sector level. With each committee made up of seven members, there are more than 18,000 mediators across 2,148 cells and 416 sectors of the country.

"I had problems with my husband, but I thank Abunzi for having helped me reconcile with him.  Abunzi are exemplary, even in their homes, you find them living in harmony with their spouses and respective families in general,” praised Emerance Tuyiringire, who hails from Bugambira Cell, Ruramira Sector in Kayonza District.

Two months ago, Marizia Nyirabera, from Amazinga Village, Umubuga Cell, was not satisfied by how a land-related dispute she had with a neighbour was decided by the village meeting and she decided to go to Abunzi.

"I went with the mediators to the field, along with the person I was in dispute with, the Abunzi did not care at all about the long walk to the farm, there we were, and the problem was resolved in a way that satisfied both me and my counterpart,” she declared.

"Choosing our mediators requires care, we have to choose farsighted people with age and intellectual maturity,” she pointed out.

Ruramira Sector has 35 mediators, who convene on Tuesday and Thursday, and since 2014 to date, they have resolved 1,151 disputes. Kayonza District has more than 400 mediators.

Emmanuel Nteziryayo, president of Abunzi in the sector, said: "95 per cent of the people are satisfied with the resolutions, only a few continue to other levels,” he stated.

Nteziryayo, meanwhile, appreciates many tools they received from the government to ease their work; telephones, bicycles and airtime, among other incentives.

"Since we have committed and swore to do this work, we do it happily, even being referred to as Abunzi by leaders and having the residents admire us makes us happy and that shows us that we do the duty properly,” said Dorothea Mukakamali, a mediator in Ruramira.

When Justice Minister and Attorney General Johnston Busingye, visited Ruramira at the launch of this year’s ‘Abunzi Week’, reminded that the idea of bringing back Abunzi was mooted by citizens themselves before it found its way into our 2003 constitution.

The EU Ambassador to Rwanda poses for a photo with a community mediator as he gives him a certificate.

"In our history, whenever we failed to find solutions to our own problems, we had problems, and whenever we succeeded in owning up and finding solutions to our problems, we always created solutions and our country went forward,” he said, adding that Abunzi are a true meaning of good governance.

According to the minister, Abunzi have demonstrated to be men and women of integrity, honesty, impartial, focusing on the truth, and self-respecting, and good at keeping confidence of the information in their work.

"Your selflessness, your willingness, you are similar to Inkotanyi [who liberated the country]. Whatever we do to help you do your job can never be equivalent to what you do,” he added.

Some of the community mediators.

The achievements show that the Government made the right choice to bring back the community mediation of Abunzi, he noted.

Busingye, however, clarifies that residents have a huge role to play for the Abunzi to achieve their mission.

"When you come looking for an answer, you have to tell the truth, when you lie, the answer cannot be found, and only the wrong one is found,” he stated.

Nicolas Bellomo, European Union envoy to Rwanda, was impressed by the contribution of this home-grown solution, and said other countries should borrow a leaf from Rwanda.

 "You know, there’s a backlog in courts across different countries, in my own country, I can tell you that to get a sentence in a court takes years, and I think this is a system that can bring a lot of value to the whole justice, and even fast-track court cases because there will be many cases dealt at Abunzi level,” he mentioned.