Premier lauds districts on performance contracts

SOUTHERN PROVINCE • Nyamagabe best performer HUYE — Prime Minister, Bernard Makuza, Monday, hailed districts for the remarkable progress shown in the execution of performance contracts, locally referred to as Imihigo. Presiding over the last evaluation exercise of performance contracts after the first quarter of the year, Makuza called upon district leaders not to sit on their laurels but rather put much effort in the development pillars of good governance, economic development, social welfare and justice. The Prime Minister called upon districts to measure their successes in line with targets set out in the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy, (EDPRS), Millennium Development Goals and Vision 2020. “We want to see how you are fairing in the achievement of the targets set in the various documents that guide the development path of the country,” he said, calling on leaders to support the recently rolled out nine-year basic education programme. He especially commended Kamonyi District authorities for initiating a school feeding programme which enables students to spend more hours at school. The nine year basic education programme follows a double shift system which has seen a fall in the student – teacher ratio. On justice, the Premier called upon districts officials to a plan for a Gacaca completion strategy and monitor criminals who were convicted to community work. The remarks followed reports that 100 prisoners doing community work in Muhanga had escaped. Makuza called for strong leadership from the districts, pointing out that that graft and bickering hinders development. He also called for strengthening of cooperatives, environmental protection, water harvesting and the use of energy saving stoves in homes. Districts in the Province were ranked on how they implemented Imihigo basing on the development principles of good governance, economic development, social welfare and justice. Last year’s best performers at the national level, Nyamagabe District, scooped the top spot followed by Muhanga and Kamonyi, while Huye and Ruhango tied for the last position. Speaking at the same function, Local Government Minister Protais Musoni, revealed that in July, this year, the Vision 2020 Umurenge programme will be rolled out in a second sector in the country. Vision 2020 Umurenge is an integrated local development programme to accelerate poverty eradication, rural growth and social protection. The poorest sector is selected in every district in the country and it is here that development programmes are concentrated so as to improve the livelihoods of its people. Ends