There was a story that ran in The New Times about the Government having sold a bio-medical waste incinerator that had been lying idle for the last ten years. The Government had bought the equipment for more than Rwf 300 million from South Africa in 2010 and in the course of the years, had spent more than double the amount to get it off the ground but to no avail. So, where is the wisdom of selling the plant? Does it mean the Government is throwing its hands up in the air in defeat? That does not sound like the Rwanda we all know. If anything, it is a declaration of defeat that should normally lead to repercussions. What will the new owner do that the Government could not? Maybe we do not have all the information to make an educated assessment of the case in question, but this surely begs for some answers. Maybe the Government found it was the only option instead of continuing wasting money on it, but that should have been done years ago. Blaming poor planning and taking a decade to finally make a decision is a very lame excuse and it blots an otherwise impeccable record of good management this government is known for. But let it act as a reminder that the Auditor General’s report should be acted upon immediately and not stored in the bottom drawer until another report finds it there. Also, not implementing the AG’s report should not go without its consequences, otherwise, it emboldens lazy civil servants who have nothing to fear for not doing their job.
