The Senatorial standing Committee on Political Affairs and Governance has begun assessment of public involvement in activities in which citizens are beneficiaries, through a national tour that kicked off on January 24 and runs until February 10.

The committee is on a national outreach that seeks to identify the role of a citizen in planning and implementation on what the government institutions are doing for them, to find out if they take part in such programmes.

It is expected that the parliamentarians will evaluate why citizen participation is still low according to the previous reports they analyzed.

According to the 2022 Rwanda Governance Scorecard that was done by Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), the overall performance of the citizen participation and inclusiveness pillar was 87.07 per cent, up from 84.19 per cent in the previous edition, indicating improvement of almost 3 per cent.

Participation and Inclusiveness refers to citizens’ involvement in public decision-making at the same time ensuring that no one is left behind in the national social, political and economic development, RGB explains.

It added that, one of these pillar variables – the level of citizen satisfaction in Community Policing Committees (CPCs), which stands at 76.7 per cent.

It is reportedly said citizen participation continues to be criticised while the tour is expected to find obstacles and measures to be taken for a sustainable solution.

Speaking to residents in Rubavu District, Rugerero Sector, on January 24, Senator Lambert Dushimimana, the Chairperson of the Senatorial Committee on Political Affairs and Governance, said a citizen should play a role in government programmes.

"Citizens recommended a lot of things, big things according to our constitution, a citizen is asked to have their part in the development of their neighborhood. When they become careless, assuming that they will work when asked to do so or I will wait for others to do it for me, there is a role which will be ignored – a responsibility that is not fulfilled,” he said.

"Those responsibilities are recommended by the constitution. For example, a sector or a district cannot develop when there is no public involvement,” he noted.

Through interacting with residents and local authorities, Senator Dushimimana further disclosed that there are instances in which citizens do not feel ownership of initiatives or engage in such activities or programmes being planned for them.

"We recommend citizens to be involved in activities being carried out for them. It chokes to hear a citizen saying that a house built for them belongs to a certain project or someone else, saying it’s not my house. In such circumstances, they do not take care of it whereas they have to take it as their own,” he added.

Innocent Nsengiyumva, one of the residents of Murambi cell in Rubavu district was excited to interact with them claiming they are things he and his neighbours want advocacy for by the senators.

"We have interacted with them, personally I have learnt a lot of things,” Nsengiyumva said.

Blandine Uwingabire, 25, is also another resident who appreciated the outreach suggesting that they should keep coming.

"Having visited us [senators] proves a great significance that citizens are valued. We want them to come frequently,” she added.

The committee made up of Honorable Lambert Dushimimana (team leader), Honorable Georges Nsengiyumva and Honorable John Bonds Bideri are visiting Rubavu, Rutsiro and Karongi districts.

Meanwhile another group of senators is doing the same in Eastern Province touring Nyagatare, Gatsibo and Kayonza districts. The tour will continue in other provinces and Kigali City, too.

Later on, the Senators committee will meet with the concerned institutions at the national level.