Fifty non-professional bailiffs, who were sworn in on Friday, January 17, in the City of Kigali, were asked to execute more than 150 court orders awaiting enforcement.
Non-professional bailiffs are local government officials, such as cell and sector executive secretaries, who are trained to execute court orders. They differ from professional bailiffs, who have legal training and a background in law.
Some of the non-professional bailiffs, who had been practicing before being sworn in, said they faced challenges during execution of court orders.
During the swearing-in ceremony, the Mayor of the City of Kigali, Samuel Dusengiyumva, said that Gasabo District alone has 134 unexecuted court orders, Kicukiro District has 19, and Nyarugenge District has four, which the newly sworn-in non-professional bailiffs have been taksedto enforce to ensure timely justice delivery.
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"Justice is a key pillar of good governance in Rwanda. We are glad to witness the swearing-in of 50 non-professional bailiffs today, and we hope they will strengthen the City of Kigali’s ability to deliver justice effectively. The backlog of cases will soon be a thing of the past,” Dusengiyumva stated.
The mayor emphasized the importance of justice in Rwanda’s leadership, expressing confidence that the bailiffs would help reduce the backlog of cases and improve service delivery.
"Eliminating the backlog of unexecuted court orders is essential for providing justice. As the City of Kigali, we pledge to support your work and provide the necessary tools and training,” the mayor told the officials. "We encourage you to uphold values of transparency, empathy, and dedication in your service to the people,”
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Dusengiyumva also noted that in the past some non-professional bailiffs had engaged in corrupt practices, vowing that the city and the government would not tolerate any such behavior.
"We urge you to act swiftly and work diligently to prevent the accumulation of backlogs. Rest assured, we will support you in every step of the way," the mayor assured.
Improving local justice delivery
The non-professional bailiffs said the swearing-in ceremony meant that some challenges faced during their work would be solved, hence better service delivery.
"In the past, when we worked without being sworn in, people often faced delays in having cases, particularly those resolved by mediators or the Gacaca courts,” said Solange Karigirwa, from Gahanga Cell, Gahanga Sector, Kicukiro District.
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"Now, with the authority of a sworn-in non-professional bailiff, these issues will be addressed more efficiently,” Karigirwa explained, adding that they would also work to prevent corruption.
Pierre Claver Bayingana, the Executive Secretary of Kanserege Cell, Kagarama Sector, Kicukiro District, stated that execution of court order would be faster than it used to be before he was sworn in.
"Before being sworn in, we faced certain limitations in our work, especially when cases needed to go through multiple steps at the sector level.”
"Now, we can resolve these cases more directly at the district level, making the process easier and faster for the people,” Bayingana said.