Rwanda revenue authority “not doing enuogh” enough in decentralizing Gatsibo services

EASTERN PROVINCE KABARORE—Residents in Gatsibo district are bitter over the “inconvenience” they go through in trying to access Rwanda revenue services in the district. The district is yet to be accorded an office from the Rwanda Revenue Authority and instead relies on those in Nyagatare for such services. When people from as far as Muhura come to the district for travel documents and other important documents, they are asked to first pay and get revenue receipts. But when they ask for the revenue offices, they are referred to travel across the district to Nyagatare. “This is really an inconvenience for those of us who come from far” says John Kabera from Muhura. One Revenue Authority spokesman said that an arrangement was “in place” to cater to Gatsibo accounts. “We have been going there once every Tuesday, though we are short of man power.” General conditions of revenue services within other districts in the country, especially at the local level, have improved considerably and this has created stronger incentives for them to perform. However little has been done to improve revenue authority services in Gatsibo district and the Baturage who come from the many sectors of the district continue to suffer while trying to access these services. Ends