A top official in Nyamasheke District has resigned his post citing personal reasons.Jean Pierre Ndagijimana, who was the district executive secretary, tendered in his resignation letter to the district mayor on October 10.On Tuesday Ndagijimana, who has held the position since 2007, handed over to the district’s Director of Administration Jovith Habyarimana who will work in acting capacity. However, in an interview with The New Times yesterday, the official said he did not resign but rather has asked for “a leave of absence for a non-specific period”.“I want to dedicate my time to studies. I have been struggling to combine both the job and the studies,” Ndagijimana said.Ndagijimana is a student at the Kigali Independent University where he is pursuing a master’s degree in business administration, according to sources.But Article 60 of the law on general statutes for Rwanda public service stipulates that a leave of absence for non-specific period for a Government employee makes that a vacant post.Ndagijimana refuted rumors that he might have come under pressure following recent allegations of corruption leveled against him.Last August, Ndagijimana was arrested and detained in Kigali on charges that he tried to bribe an official at the Office of the Ombudsman to cover up a false declaration of his wealth. At the time, a spokesman of the Office told this paper that seemingly the idea to bribe their staff came as a result of their investigations which uncovered undeclared assets belonging to the Executive Secretary.However a subsequent trial heard by a judge at the Nyarugenge Intermediate Court acquitted Ndagijimana of the charges.Ndagijimana said those trying to establish a link between the incident and his departure from the district are ‘getting things wrong.’“I have dedicated my efforts and skills to the development of the district and in collaboration with others we have achieved a lot,” he said. “I am proud that I made my contribution to the development of the district over the past few years.”Prior to being appointed as the Executive secretary of the district, Ndagijimana was the executive secretary of Ruharambuga sector in the same district.
