The Executive Committee in the Association of Local Authorities of Tanzania (ALAT) secretariat yesterday met with Local Government Minister, James Musoni at the end of their five-day study tour.

The Tanzanians said they had come to see how the two countries can exchange ideas for better service delivery to their respective citizens.

Musoni explained to the delegates Rwanda’s descentralisation system from the central government to the lowest level of governance, Umudugudu and how the citizens have been empowered to take part in decision making.

Agrey M. Mwanri, Tanzania’s Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s office who headed a 24-man delegation hailed Rwanda’s governance system which he described as ‘a better system for development.’

"Rwanda has gone through hard times, especially the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. However, it has made tremendous steps in development in various sectors that we also feel should be applied in our country,” Mwanri said.

He appreciated President Paul Kagame’s political will in transforming the government which he said has lifted the country from the ashes it was left in the Genocide to the current development trend.

Protecting the environment, performance contracts, hygiene and sanitation and how central government financially empowers local authorities in fields of agriculture and healthcare are the other fields Mwanri said would be emulated by his country.

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