Suspended civil servants revealed

KIGALI - The New Times has obtained a list of 56 civil servants suspended last week for failing to declare their wealth. The list obtained from reliable sources lists senior government officials in various departments that either failed to declare or under-declared their assets leading to the decision to suspend them. The decision to suspend the officials was announced on Thursday last week by the Minister of Labour and Public Service, Anastase Murekezi and the Ombudsman, Tito Rutaremara. The suspended civil servants are in two categories; those who failed to declare or under declared their wealth in, 2007, 2008 and 2009. Those suspended were from the Judiciary, Parliament, Military, Diplomatic missions and different Ministries as well as local government structures. The list includes one official from the Office of the President. Embassies According to Ombudsman, diplomats who never declared their assets include Eugene Gasana, now Ambassador in New York, the First Secretary in Beijing, China, Emile Rwagasana, Moses Rugema, the First Counselor in New York, Kayihura Eugene of Seoul, Kabandana Jeannine in Brussels and Mbabazi Enid at The Hague. Police The list seen by The New Times includes three police officers at the rank of Superintendent. They include Supt. Simon Mukama, Andre Ndori and Elisa Kabera. However, a source from police says Supt. Mukama was serving under UN mission and probably was not given enough time to prepare his declaration forms. Officials from Ombudsman office also admit that Supt. Ndori had just returned from Djibouti this year and that could have been the reason why he never met the deadline. RDF The list seen includes five RDF officers who failed to declare their assets. They include Lt. Col Chris Murari who is currently in Darfur- Sudan, Majors Leandre Hakizima, Claude Higiro, Paul Matonde and Maj. Francis Mutiganda. Other institutions The list includes the Chief Gender Monitor, Oda Gasinzigwa, two judges; Nyirabugingo Antoinette and Rwibasira Joseph. Other officials to be suspended are in different ministries, the Prosecution, RECO-RWASCO, CHUK, RADA, RAMA, Rwanda Bureau of Standards, National University of Rwanda (NUR) and the Gender Monitoring Office. While presenting the report last week, Tito Rutaremara said: “This is the final report of government employees who failed to explain why they refused to declare their wealth or under-declared their assets.” Those who did not declare their wealth in 2009 were given a one month suspension without pay while those in the second category have been suspended for two months without pay. Out of the 5,378 public servants that were expected to declare their wealth this year, only 56 did not declare and had no genuine reasons. 57 employees escaped the Ombudsman’s wrath because he found them with genuine reasons. Those in the judiciary will serve a three-month suspension and a monthly half pay as the internal regulations within the judiciary dictate. Usually the wealth declaration processes ends June 30, of each year, but the ombudsman says he kept extending the deadline to ensure that all concerned individuals abide by the law. Government employees are required by the 2006 Wealth Declaration Law to submit their annual declaration of assets and liabilities for verification by June 30. Ends