SOUTHERN PROVINCE

NYANZA — The district Mayor Francois Munyankindi has resigned from his post. He is the fourth high ranking district official to resign in the province over the past months.

Huye District Mayor, Aimable Twagiramutara, his vice in charge of Economic Affairs, Ildefonse Gasana, and Munyankindi’s deputy, Charles Munyaneza, stepped down last week, citing personal reasons.

Since the 2006 local government reforms, five Mayors and a host of other senior officials have quit their posts before completing their terms.

It is only the districts of Nyamagabe, Kamonyi and Gisagara that have had stable leadership. Which has had a positive impact on the development of these districts.

Speculation is rife about the cause of the high profile resignations. In an interview with The New Times last week, Provincial Governor Fidele Ndayisaba said districts need ‘new blood’ to spur development, suggesting that recent resignations are linked to poor performance.

Talking to The New Times, Munyankindi hinged his resignation on ‘personal’ reasons.

"I took the decision to resign on personal considerations, with my training in engineering, I am ready to venture into private practice,” he said in a telephone interview.

Speaking during the evaluation exercise of performance contracts in the Province on Monday, Justice Minister and Attorney General, Tharsis Karugarama called for an audit of the districts whose leaders resign.

"Audit teams should be instituted to ascertain the problems these districts are faced with. This will help the new office bearers not to fall into the mess left by their predecessors,” said Karugarama.

At the same function, Minister of Local Government, Protais Musoni, warned district leaders against corruption, conflict and crime.

"No meaningful development can be achieved when leaders of a district are embroiled in such vices,” said Musoni.

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