Following the successful implementation of the of the first two phases of decentralization, the Minister of Local Government, James Musoni has said that his ministry is currently working on the final phase of decentralization.

According to the Rwanda Decentralization Strategic Framework (RDSF) the first phase (2000-2005) established democratic and community development structures while the second phase (2006-2010) aimed at consolidating progress on national priorities, such as Vision 2020, and deepen the decentralization process by enhancing effectiveness in service delivery to communities.

"In the third phase, we intend to consolidate all the achievements in the first two phases as a way of improving service delivery,” said Musoni. "This will be done through some reforms which will also improve efficiency on the government side”.

He added that his ministry was currently consulting with stakeholders and that the final report on how the five year decentralization plan will be implemented is expected in December this year. 

According to officials from the local government ministry, a number of mechanisms have since been put in place to ease the transfer of resources to local governments and to harmonise planning and budgeting processes between the central and local levels.

They added that if the five year plan is implemented, it will strengthen efficiency in coordination and management of the decentralization, strengthen the participation of non-government actors in the decentralization process, and reinforce mechanisms for an accountable and transparent public sector.

The plan will also develop the capacities of local governments and other stakeholders’ to effectively assume their defined rights, roles, and reinforce mechanisms for monitoring and evaluation of the decentralization process and strengthen systems for coordinated management of information.

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