In a bid to develop prevention mechanisms to fight against corruption and related offences, Transparency Rwanda (TR) is set to focus on reducing corruption to zero level.

This was disclosed yesterday by Marie Immaculee Ingabire the chairperson of Transparency Rwanda while addressing the TR Stakeholders roundtable meeting on its 2010-2014 strategic plan presentation at a local hotel.

"Our main target in this strategic plan is to reduce corruption to zero level by promoting citizen participation and corporate accountability in the fight against corruption, as well as the promotion of good governance in the Rwandan society,” she said.

She added that, since the inception of TR, they managed to weather the storm, recruit able and qualified staff ,to not only prevent and fight against corruption, but also getting into partnerships with international partners like Transparency International.

Ingabire called upon all the stakeholders to give full support to TR to succeed in the fight.

"There is a big task ahead of us, the task of preventing, fighting and if possible, eradicating corruption in Rwanda, the vice we have been fighting for the last few years of TR’s existence,” she noted.

"The drawing of the strategic plan is one of our milestones in building this noble institution so that it delivers on its core reasons for existence”.

She stressed that once TR attains professionalism, other institutions like Revenue, Procurement, Judiciary and many others will emulate the good example as they will get guidance towards better service delivery and therefore corrupt-free tendencies.

In a speech read for him by the Executive Secretary Rwanda Governance Advisory Council, Prof. Anastase Shyaka, the Minister of Local Government, James Musoni, commended TR’s strategic plan saying that it was a very important initiative.

"Good governance is one of the pillars of 2010; the government of Rwanda is very pleased to associate with TR towards promoting transparency in the promotion of good governance,” the speech reads.

"The government of Rwanda will continue providing a conducive environment for TR to work”

Doris Basler, Transparency International’s (TI) Senior Program Manager, Africa and the Middle East, reiterated that among the countries in the region, Rwanda has played a great role in fighting against graft.

She urged TR to engage the communities by promoting their participation and corporate accountability in the fight against corruption.

Ends