"What I wanted to tell everyone is to know that this army is the foundation of our party, do you understand what foundation means? This army will be the foundation of changes that will happen in this country. Therefore, everyone should always be mindful of the politics that pushed us to take up arms and fight.

"For that reason, our actions and our way of thinking every time should differentiate us from those we are fighting against, alright? Because, if there is no difference with those we are fighting, there is no reason to fight.”

These originally Swahili words were spoken by Now-President Paul Kagame while addressing Rwanda Patriotic Army (RPA) soldiers on February 21, 1991, in Karame, north-eastern Rwanda. Kagame, then Chairman of the RPA High Command, had just breathed new life into the struggle after serious early setbacks that threatened to end the liberation struggle just after its launch.

It is this commitment to serve with discipline and integrity is what the Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF) would later bring into government when it took power in 1994.

Twenty-six years later this philosophy remains the single most important guiding principle for Rwanda’s leadership.

Under President Kagame, Rwanda has taken steps to redefine the qualities of a leader and embrace servant leadership as a major driver of the country’s ambitious development agenda.

A series of reforms, including legal and institutional mechanisms, were introduced to facilitate the realisation of this philosophy.

For instance, a new leadership code of conduct was adopted, tough anti-graft measures instituted, leaders were required to regularly declare their wealth, government took measures to prevent leaders from grabbing land and other forms of assets, while a new institution (Ombudsman’s Office) was set up in part to oversee public officials’ conduct, among others.

What the law says

High ranking leaders and senior government officials are specifically guided by the law on the leadership code of conduct that was gazetted in October 2013.

Article 4 of the law states acts prohibited to a leader; "Use of dictatorial tendencies and intimidation, use of his/her position to mistreat people or to breach the laws and any conduct likely to degrade his/her integrity, or likely to jeopardize his/her position or the visibility of the institution he/she works for,”.

The law also mentions incompatibilities like not doing business, not being in leadership of companies and NGOs, not giving or receiving gifts worth more than Rwf100,000, among others.

The Ombudsman’s Office is in charge of monitoring and enforcing the law, and the mandatory action of the declaration of property by civil servants and other people.

In 2019, they requested penalties for seven senior officials; four senators, two IPRC leaders, and one hospital leader who misbehaved.

Kajangana Jean Aime, the Director of Monitoring Interdictions and Incompatibilities of Senior Officials Unit at the Ombudsman office told The New Times that the preventive measures exist to prevent the leaders to use their position to benefit at the citizens’ expenses.

"The extent to which the leaders abide by the law can’t be measured by these widely known cases. But because there are cases of misconduct from senior officials, it then gives an image that maybe that is how leaders are.”

Kajangana said they haven’t conducted scientific research on how the leaders abide by the law, and hence can’t state where they stand on the issue.

Eric Ndushabandi, a Lecturer of Political Science and Director of the Institute of research and Dialogue for peace IRDP argue that the leadership code of conduct could have advantages and disadvantages.

"It can undermine the education someone was formerly given in the upbringing. It also doesn’t recognize the ethical judgement and someone’s integrity that they have developed over time,” he explains.

He also says the code of conduct could be useless in contingencies since it hasn’t been provided on how to handle them.

"It can undermine initiative from someone because they have to refer themselves to the code of conduct in order to respond to a certain unexpected situation.”

However, Ndushabandi thinks the benefits of a leadership code of conduct outweighs the cost.

"It limits someone to use personal/natural character in responding to public interest issues. Politics is about general interest, to manage public affairs,” he says.

He adds that the code of conduct should be grounded in basic education in one’s upbringing, culture and context. "It should be a general interest based code of conduct, with integrity and a sense of responsibility.”

With regards to cases of some leaders’ misconduct, Ndushabandi thinks it is not the Leadership Code of Conduct law that has loopholes, but ‘vetting’ could have some.

"Vetting should be based on objectives criteria and should be inclusive, with diversified people. And maybe if necessary, one gets interviewed, to be sure of one’s behaviours, and avoid surprises in the future.”

Declaration of wealth

Declaring wealth for leaders at all levels is mandatory. It must be done every year not later than June 30, and it is the obligation of the Ombudsman office to register the wealth.

"They are supposed to declare their assets; movable and immovable, tangible and intangible. It could be land, houses, money on accounts, debts, gifts he gave out, shares in a certain company, among others,” explained Jeanne d’Arc Mwiseneza, the Director of the Declaration of Property unit at the Ombudsman office.

One of the main purposes of the action is to fight corruption, knowing the source of wealth and to help them not confuse their wealth with the government.

People declaring wealth are over 12,000, including civil servants who are in finance management positions.

Over 99 per cent are regularly declaring their wealth.

"Those who aren’t doing it don’t exceed ten people.”

Those who do not declare their wealth are given institutional penalties that could include salary deduction, warning, and others that are determined by the law.

Where are we?

Tito Rutaremara, the Chairperson of Rwanda Elders Advisory Forum told The New Times how he thinks of the status quo.

"We have a clear law on the leadership code of conduct. Most of the leaders abide by it, but according to researches, some do not abide by it, and some only abide with a few of the requirements. However, those abiding by it are the most.”

"What needs to be done is to search for the right people, training them what they are supposed to do, and evaluating them as they are on duty. Whoever does what is wrong must be held accountable,” He added.

"What I just said is being done. But there are some loopholes either of the stages. So more effort should be applied in all of them.”

Rutaremara added that leaders are not only accountable to their appointees, but also the citizens they serve. "One must make sure the citizens say what is going on, so as to make sure that everything is transparent.”

RPF Commissioner Sheikh Abdul-Karim Harerimana told The New Times that servant leadership is being achieved, but more needs to be done.

"Now, we have citizen-centred leadership, it is the system. And that is why we try all possible to have it applied, fully. However, some citizens still think everything should be handed over to them, or that the government is there to oppress them.”

"We even have leaders thinking like that, but luckily, they are still few. They think when they are in power, they are there to oppress, they don’t think they need to consult the citizens, or that he/she is the first and last,” He adds.

Harerimana suggests that more work should be done in order to achieve the servant leadership. "Everyone has a platform for expressing their views. We need to work together as leaders, and also make the citizens aware of their rights.”

He further notes that the most important part is that the leaders know their work and power purpose, and the citizens to know their rights and responsibilities.

Mary Barikungeri, the leader of Rwanda Women Network says a good leader "is that person who is people-centred, who consults and who takes criticism positively.

Citizen based leadership should be the bottom approach.

This is an approach which ensures ownership, and the good news is that Rwanda is on track. With leadership which has citizen at heart, by 2050 we should see results.”

Gender development

Rose Rwabuhihi, the leader of the Gender Monitoring Office says good leadership is one that encourages citizen participation.

"It is the one where citizens decide, develop themselves and speak out what and how they want to be done. Although we have assessments and inspections, the citizens are the first to know what is not going right.”

She gave ‘insufficient information’ one of the reasons that women don’t receive services meant for them. "When one doesn’t ask for a service, they don’t get it, most of the times,” she said.

She gave Isange One-Stop Centre an example. It offers all services needed by GBV victims; psychological, medical, legal, among others, for free. But some people are not informed well on how it works, or that it is there. Some even fear to go there, especially men who think it is shameful to be abused.

Another example she gave is child registration.

"Some women are forced to come along with the child’s father, if when they are not married. But some women don’t know it is their children’s right to be registered. Some even struggle to convince someone of paternity.”

Isange One-Stop Centre (IOSC), one of the initiatives designed to prevent and respond to gender-based violence and child abuse. Gender development is crucial for citizen-based leadership. / File

There she concluded, that good leadership should well inform their citizens, and stated out that fewer women have access to accurate, up to date information than men. And that women tend to fear to hold leaders accountable when they are denied their rights, or not given services in the right way.

"One cannot participate, or even give feedback if they are not aware of what should be done for them. But also, people should learn to call hotlines, use suggestion boxes, and other strategies in place, to emphasize good leadership.”