Local leaders to sign Imihigo with the President next month

Leaders in both the local and central government will next month sign performance contracts, locally known as Imihigo, with President Paul Kagame, top officials agreed yesterday. During a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi in Kigali, the officials, including ministers, managers of main parastatal bodies, governors of provinces, and district mayors, reviewed their performance contracts for the current Financial Year 2015/16, which they will sign with the President and agreed that they will be signed next month. By signing the performance contracts with the President, leaders commit to implement key activities in their areas of governance within a clear deadline and the government commits to provide them with resources to implement certain projects. Dr Jean Damascene Bizimana the executive secretary of CNLG, responds to a question from the Prime minister during the meeting. Draft performance contracts which were validated at yesterday’s meeting include implementation of activities to fast-track socio-economical transformation programmes in various key sectors such as energy, research and development, agro-processing and exportation, urbanisation and rural settlement, water supply, job creation, and industrialisation. Among concrete targets of Imihigo in the current fiscal year, officials have planned to increase exports by 20 per cent, add 70 megawatts of electricity to the national grid, take 5,000 households out of high risk zones, distribute more than 25,000 cows to poor Rwandans, and ensure that 100 per cent of Rwandans are subscribed to health insurance, especially the community-based health insurance scheme, Mutuelle de Santé. Local Government Minister Francis Kaboneka, (L)Prime Minister Anastase Murekezi (C) and Minister of Cabinet Affairs, Stella Ford Mugabo during the meeting. The leaders have also planned to increase agricultural production by distributing seeds and fertilisers to farmers on time as well as scaling up irrigation, build nearly 3,000 units of affordable homes to residents of Kigali City, increase production from mining activities, and start building roads in industrial areas that have been prepared in six secondary cities in the country. The Prime Minister encouraged the officials to fast-track implementation of plans they will assign themselves through the signing of performance contracts next month. “Let’s turn our good slogans into concrete actions. Let’s keep fast-tracking our country’s development by working together towards self-reliance and dignity of Rwandans,” he said. Local leaders share a light moment during the meeting yesterday. (Timothy Kisambira) Fast-tracking implementation As decided during a meeting of local and central government officials in April, there were joint Imihigo commitments among different central government institutions, the Private Sector Federation, and districts in case the action points were crosscutting and their implementation shared by different bodies. According to officials, the approach essentially meant that what was planned as action points in the performance contracts was discussed with officials at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (Minecofin), who, in turn, earmarked budgets for the actions as they planned the National Budget. Trade and Industry Minister François Kanimba, chats with Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources Dr Geraldine Mukeshimana, at the meeting. It is, therefore, planned that during the execution of the Budget, Minecofin will be disbursing money to districts and other bodies so that it is used to implement projects that have been planned under their performance contracts. Officials hope that the approach will help fast-track the execution of government programmes. Local leaders follow proceedings during the meeting. (All photos by Timothy Kisambira) “What we agreed on will be well implemented,” Local Government minister Francis Kaboneka promised the Prime Minister at yesterday’s meeting. Since its introduction in 2006, the signing of Imihigo which happens every financial year has been credited with improving accountability and speeding up the pace of citizen centred development activities and programmes in the country. editorial@newtimes.co.rw

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Local leaders to sign Imihigo with the President next month