New laws to streamline public service - Minister

KIGALI - Cabinet last week approved two draft laws that are aimed at streamlining the public sector as part of the country’s long term plan to overhaul the performance and efficiency of the public sector. Speaking at a news conference to elaborate on the legislation, the Minister of Public Service and Labour, Anastase Murekezi, said that the draft laws are in line with the country’s development plans and are fine-tuned to meet modern day public service laws. They laws will have to be approved by Parliament before they come into force. The draft law determining the organisation and functioning of the Public Service Commission and another on Rwanda Public Service, will replace the existing ones put in place in 2008. Murekezi who was flanked by the Executive Secretary of the Public Service Commission, Angelina Muganza, said that the legal instruments are part of government plans to completely overhaul the public service through major reforms and capacity building. “We had to reform these laws so that we can be at par with the times we are in. We started in 2009 by amending the 2003 Labour Code, touching both the private and the public sector,” Murekezi said. Murekezi said that the old public service laws were “out of touch” with the current situation and the country’s constitution and hence the need to be reformed. Among other things, the new law will define terms of payments of public servants, promotions and possible demotions or dismissal from work depending on the performance on the job. The law also stipulates conditions under which a public servant can be motivated depending on their annual performance reports and the performance contracts they sign. According to Murekezi, government employees scoring over 80% will be receiving a 5% bonus in their salary while those between 70% an 80% ill receive an extra 3%. There will be no bonuses for those who score between 60%, and 70% while those below 60%, can be dismissed. He also said that the new draft law provides for the possibility of a former government employee who had been blacklisted or scrapped off the public service list being restored into public service after convincing authorities that he/she has changed and is ready to start afresh. Ends

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New laws to streamline public service - Minister