On Tuesday, August 27, the Ministry of Local Governments (MINALOC) recognised Gakenke District for its exceptional performance in civil registration in 2023/2024, where it achieved a registration rate of 99 percent in regards to vital events such as births, deaths, and causes of death. The hilly rural district was followed closely by Nyarugenge at 98.9 percent and Muhanga at 94.8 percent. Why did Gakenke perform so well? Speaking in an exclusive interview with The New Times, Juvenal Iraguha, the District Statistician, attributed Gakenke’s success to the responsiveness of the residents towards government policies, as well as strong collaboration between the district and key institutions like the National Identification Agency (NIDA). ALSO READ: Rwanda to issue digital IDs in three years Residents in Gakenke are generally receptive to government policies. Our campaigns begin in tontines with designated 'good governance focal persons' at the sector level. These individuals help to quickly disseminate information about new policies, he explained. We have a dedicated team that assists people from the cell level to the district level. If delays occur in registration processes, we work together to resolve them. Sometimes we hand such issues over to a specialised support team.... which helps address system issues, correct ID cards, and manage other civil registration matters,” he added. ALSO READ: Rwanda’s Digital ID: Iris scans, fingerprints help recovery when lost For 2023-2024, Gakenke District's civil registration statistics showed that 7,742 out of 7,777 births, (equivalent to 99.5 percent) were registered. In addition to this, 460 out of the 479 deaths that occurred were registered, representing a 99.8 percent registration success. Iraguha also commend the availability of strong internet connection installed in every government office. Rwanda is dedicated to enhancing its civil registration and vital statistics systems as part of the efforts towards meeting the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, specifically achieving universal legal identity.
