Kigali City Council has embarked on a week-long intensive campaign to sensitize residents about honoring their tax obligations.

That the Council only managed to raise Rwf3.5 billion in the first half of the current fiscal year, vis-à-vis the city's projected Rwf19 billion for the whole year, points to a high likelihood that the target will not be met. This, according to the mayor, has derailed various projects, especially infrastructure development across the city.

Kigali should be setting the pace for the rest of the country, since it’s not only the capital, but the main commercial city. We all appreciate the paved roads, street lights, clean sidewalks; well-equipped and accessible health centres; schools with qualified teachers, stocked libraries and equipped laboratories; clean water; electricity; among others; yet none of these come free.

While leaders have the obligation to deliver such services to the people, they cannot do it by themselves. They need our collective support.

Additionally, as a nation, we have all it takes to realize our objective of reducing dependency on foreign aid.

If we work hard and honour our tax obligations, there is no doubt we will not only increase local financing of the national budget, but achieve the country’s development targets as stipulated in Vision 2020.

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