A survey, conducted by Transparency Rwanda within Kigali City, indicates that at least 60 percent of the residents appreciate the services offered by their respective local authorities.

The survey was conducted using information collected from suggestion boxes installed across the three districts that make up the city.

Transparency Rwanda is a subsidiary of Transparency International, an anti-corruption watchdog.

The boxes were placed at all district headquarters and offices of three randomly selected sectors in each district.

The exercise, which was financed by the Rwanda Governance Advisory Council (RGAC), was preceded by publicity campaigns through social gatherings like "Umuganda” and over radio shows.

Citizens who sought various services at the respective administrative units, filled questionnaires and dropped them in the boxes which were later collected by the watchdog.

The three sectors are representative of 25 percent of Kigali’s sectors, and according to RGAC; the exercise will be extended across the whole country upon the availability of more resources.

The head of Transparency Rwanda, Immaculee Ingabire, said the process aimed at establishing members of the public’s perception of the services sought from local authorities.

"It is a way of monitoring what is being done at the lower level, to help the country in its fight against corruption, and general improvement of services to the people,” said Ingabire.

"It is encouraging that the majority of the population is satisfied, because they have come to know their rights, but we want to see better figures”.

Nyamirambo and Gahanga sectors recorded more complaints with 60.6 and 56.8 percent of the respondents not happy with the services. 

Participating citizens indicated that bureaucracy, poor accountability and lack of staff to attend to them as quickly as possible, were the most common grievances.  

11.5 percent cases of corruption were reportedly encountered when seeking for a service.

The Executive Secretary of RGAC, Prof Anastase Shyaka, told the media that the findings would help the council address the shortcomings. 

"The findings in this pilot survey have given us a picture of weaknesses to service delivery, like lack of capacity among leaders. When a leader doesn’t know how to deliver a service, he definitely doesn’t satisfy the citizen,” Shyaka said.

He added that the government would continue fixing problems like the capacity gap and increase sensitisation campaigns.

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