Kirabo speaks out on city resignations

KIGALI– The Mayor of Kigali City, Dr. Aisa Kirabo Kakira, has castigated former local government officials who resigned recently. She revealed that the resignations are not connected to personal reasons as the disgruntled ex-officials say, but was a result of their failure to perform their duties. Addressing a press conference, Kirabo said that the Mayor of Gasabo District, Claudine Nyinawagaga whose recent resignation was described as a surprise, failed to manage a tender to supply firewood and cooking oil to Remera Government Prison which was awarded without competitive bidding and led to the sacking and arrest of the district Executive Secretary, Félix Kabandana. Nyinawagaga resigned on Monday night during the District Advisory Council (DAC) meeting which had convened to discuss the increasing problems, especially land wrangles in the district. “She no longer had moral authority after her failure as the head of the district to award this tender. She realized this and as a leader who failed to do her work, she found it necessary to resign,” Kirabo said. Sources at the National Public Prosecution Authority (NPPA) told The New Times, that Nyinawagaga recently appeared before the authority to explain her role in a tender that cost government over Rwf222 million. Investigations are still ongoing to establish whether Nyinawagaga was involved in the tender. On the issue of former Nyarugenge Mayor, Origene Rutayisire who resigned late last month, Kirabo said that it is not yet clear if he wrongly advised the proprietor of Golden Hills Hotel in Kiyovu. The resignation of city officials has in the last two months left over 10 offices vacant. Others include Dieudonne Nkulikiyinka, the Executive Secretary of Kigali City, Solomon Karimunda, the city engineer and Emmanuel Ruziga, the Executive Secretary of Kicukiro District. Nkulikiyinka and Karimunda who were sacked last month for allegedly illegally approved Rwf 58m for extra work done by ECAN, a local company that had constructed a 9 km stone-paved road in Nyarutarama. Ends