Beyond the dialogue: How ‘Umushyikirano’ drives development

Rwandans will today convene for the 11th National Dialogue, Umushyikirano, a forum where citizens of all walks of life meet to chart the way forward at efforts to build their country.At any slight doubt as to why the fuss about Umushyikirano, a response may lie in taking a glance at some of the resolutions from the previous dialogues and how their implementation has helped Rwanda move forward.When the concept was initiated in 2003, it was more like lectures about best practices in governance. The dialogue has since evolved to become a forum where a lot of tangible initiatives that help to speed up the country’s development are deliberated.The first National Dialogue in 2003 was a one day event attended by a few members of the local and central government, Members of Parliament, as well as the civil society.Recent Umushyikirano have been more about setting concrete goals, coined by a wider participation that includes the youth, business community and the Diaspora.At the end of the dialogue, recommendations are drawn, the concerned authorities are tasked to deliver and the following year, they report back on the deliverables.Gains from dialogueThose who were unable to deliver are then put to task to explain why the recommendations were not implemented. In the last week alone, the media have been awash with stories related to implemented recommendations from the last year’s dialogue.The scrapping of rental fees for electricity supply and the launching of Musanze Caves as tourist attractions are a few examples.Another outstanding example is the 7th Umushyikirano meeting held in December 2009 whose resolutions would later become catalysts for some of today’s success stories that Rwanda has to showcase.It is thanks to the resolutions made during the 7th Umushyikirano that TIG (Travaux dIntérêt Général/ Community Service) which saved government more than Rwf40 billion in expenditure on prisoners was implemented.It is also during that meeting that Rwandans resolved to set up the currently familiar and promising Savings and Credit Cooperatives known as Umurenge Saccos across the country to help rural Rwandans have bank accounts and start saving and borrowing money.And if what looked like a dream back in 2003 when the government first introduced the innovative Nine-Year Basic Education policy is currently a reality, it is partly thanks to several Umushyikirano meetings.The Nine-Year Basic Education policy abolished school fees at the primary school level, which takes six years to complete, and introduced a system whereby pupils graduating from primary school can study free of charge for the first three years of secondary school.And later on, the 9th Umushyikirano held in December 2011 would come up with what is now seen as a beacon of hope for Rwanda to embark on a journey of self-reliance by setting up and contributing to the Agaciro Development Fund to supplement the other sources of revenues for the country.To date, more than Rwf20 billion has been voluntarily credited to the Fund’s account in various banks.Under the guidance of the Board of Trustees, the Fund managers will put the money in investments whose returns will help finance the country’s development agenda.It is also during the 9th Umushyikirano that Rwandans encouraged government to streamline its $13.4-million Business Development Fund (BDF) to ensure that 75 per cent of collateral is assured to banks when Small and Medium Sized Enterprises or local cooperatives apply for loans in bank to implement their projects.The Rwandan spiritAnd here again, today, Rwandans are convening at the 11th National Dialogue during which a progress report will be presented on the previous resolutions.They include the promotion of principles and values of self-reliance in Rwanda, the country’s second Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS 2), how to enhance domestic saving mechanisms, and how to develop strategic skills that are needed to drive the country’s development.The 11th National Dialogue is also set to deeply discuss what is increasingly termed as “the Rwandan spirit” the push to build the spirit of unity and shared dreams among Rwandans as they develop their country.Once looked at as a “strong bond between Rwandan leadership and the community in promoting good governance while ensuring efficient delivery of services for development and prosperity,” as Prof. Anastase Shyaka, who heads the Rwanda Governance Board describes it, Umushyikirano apparently can’t afford to be for mere talk.