KIGALI - The new office building for the Rwanda Local Government Association (RALGA) was yesterday inaugurated at Masaka, Kicukiro District in Kigali City, one year since construction began.

Since its inception in 2002, RALGA has been spending a lot of money renting office premises for at least Rwf1.2m per month.

Officiating at the ceremony, Local Government Minister James Musoni hailed RALGA members for coming up with such a great idea of constructing their own premises.
"This is sign of strong leadership and commitment you have to carry out the activities that fosters development in Rwanda,” he said.

He stressed that RALGA is playing a key role in the decentralisation policies, and it has been a great partner in transforming the mindsets of the public towards good governance by giving a voice to the citizens.

Musoni urged the members of RALGA to use the building as a foundation to further development activities.

"We have registered success in the decentralisation programmes in the last two phases, in this third phase, let us focus more on how we can transform Rwanda into a middle income country,” he told members.

"Lets us be role models in good governance by applying a high level of integrity, commitment, citizen participation and accountability, among others.”

He challenged them to speak out and let the world know the good developmental activities taking place in Rwanda, noting that the fugitives who ran out of the country fearing to face justice are the ones who continue speaking ill of the country.

Dr. Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, the President of RALGA  who is also Kigali City Mayor, hailed the government for their continued support towards promoting RALGA activities.

"This new building is going to enable us reduce the burden of renting because we have been spending a lot of money on renting, now this money will be channelled for other RALGA developmental activities,” she stressed.

She thanked the Netherlands Embassy and the Swedish International Development Agency for having supported RALGA financially towards the construction of the new offices.

Jolke Oppewal, the Head of Cooperation and Deputy Ambassador of the Netherlands to Rwanda, said that they have had a wonderful cooperation with RALGA for the last couple of years, and that the new building, will promote RALGA’s activities.

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