The series of arrests and resignations of several top local government officials throughout the country has raised serious concerns amongst the people these leaders are supposed to lead.

In the districts of Nyarugenge, Gasabo and Kicukiro where several officials have been arrested on charges of corruption and abuse of office, a leadership vacuum has been left.

For instance, two District Executive Secretaries, the City Council Executive Secretary and one Mayor have either thrown in the towel or been forced to leave office.

The outgoing Nyarugenge Mayor, Origene Rutayisire, did early this week resign from his office citing personal reasons.

It should be remembered that Rutayisire is not the first to step down citing personal reasons.

According to our sources in the know, it has almost become a habit for leaders after committing mistakes to try and find a soft landing by opting to resign.

For Rutayisire, it’s alleged that his resignation is connected with the unlawful approval of the construction of a hotel extension in Kiyovu by one Jean de Dieu Muyenzi. 

Rutayisre had reportedly been grilled for hours in last Friday’s Kigali City security meeting as to why illegal construction of buildings in Nyarugenge had taken place under the district’s nose.
 
Tender scandals

Rutayisire’s resignation comes barely days after City Council Executive Secretary, Dieudonne Nkulikiyinka, was suspended from office over an alleged multi million tender deal.

Nkulikiyinka was accused of allegedly having had a hand in inflating the cost of a tender to construct stone-paved roads in Nyarutarama at the cost of Rwf 108 million.

According to the KCC Public Relations and Communications Officer, Bruno Rangira, a local construction firm, ECAN was in 2008 awarded a tender by Rwanda Public Procurement Agency (RPPA) to construct 9 km of stone-paved roads.

However, during the execution of the works, prices are said to have been inflated.

He added that the inflated prices were approved by both the city Engineer, Karimunda Solomon, who was in charge of the project and the technical supervision firm, TECOS and consequently given the go ahead by the Executive Secretary.

KCC has since decided to sue ECAN and its staff members involved in the scam to recover the money and also suspended Nkulikiyinka as investigations continue.

Gasabo District has not had an Executive Secretary for over a month since Felix Kabandana was suspended for illegally awarding several tenders to one family-owned company, BAN. The tenders led to the district losing a whooping Rwf 222 million.

Kabandana is accused together with four members of the district Procurement Committee; Amandin Musirikare Mihigo, Ferdinand Rwigyema, Germain Habineza and Georgette Umubyeyi and all are in detention.

The Executive Secretary of Kicukiro District, Emmanuel Ruziga, was also suspended by the District Executive Committee for allegedly awarding a tender and insubordination.

A source from Nyarugenge District however says all is not yet lost.

"The fact that they can resign, it means that there is still hope to correct what went wrong,” the source explained.

Ends