The Special Guarantee Fund (SGF) has played a crucial role in safeguarding Rwandans by compensating victims of accidents involving uninsured or unidentified vehicles, as well as damages caused by animals, according to the Office of the Ombudsman’s 2024/2025 annual activity report. The report, presented alongside the 2025/2026 action plan to a joint session of both Chambers of Parliament on Tuesday, October 21, highlighted both achievements and persistent challenges facing the fund. HAPPENING: The Office of the Ombudsman is presenting its 2024/2025 annual activity report and 2025/2026 action plan to a joint session of both Chambers of Parliament. The report shows that a total of 49,823 people were trained in promoting values that encourage rejecting,... pic.twitter.com/BW6NnThpnS — The New Times (Rwanda) (@NewTimesRwanda) October 21, 2025 Between 2021 and 2024, the SGF compensated more than 95 per cent of 26,163 claims received. Up to Rwf5.57 billion was paid in compensation. The fund also recovered some Rwf429 million from uninsured vehicles. Despite these successes, the Ombudsman's report identified several operational challenges that have hindered the fund’s effectiveness. Among them are inconsistent calculation of compensation for victims of wild animal-related damages and road accidents, failure to fully collect comprehensive data on insured motor vehicles through insurance companies, and the provision of inaccurate information by citizens about vehicles involved in accidents. The report also noted that some committees responsible for assessing animal-related damages submitted inaccurate reports and that compensation payments were often delayed, taking anywhere from 60 to 284 days. However, preventive measures against damages caused by animals were deemed inadequate. ALSO READ: Special Guarantee Fund deposits close to Rwf 2bn The Ombudsman’s report recommended measures, including accelerating the revision of laws regulating compensation for animal-related damages to ensure timely payouts, implementing software to track insured vehicles and remove uninsured vehicles from roads, and enforcing strict measures against those providing false information. The report also called for awareness campaigns on proper behavior, training for committee members on effective operations, and sanctions against individuals involved in fraudulent claims. The report stressed the importance of ensuring that compensation is paid within the legally prescribed 60-day period and recommended strengthening preventive measures to reduce damages caused by animals. Follow-up on the implementation of these recommendations will be critical to improving the fund’s operations. ALSO READ: Uninsured taxi motos account for 75% of road accidents In addition to the SGF findings, a performance audit of government entities conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman for 2023-2025 revealed that of 35 recommendations given to 23 audited entities, 65.7 per cent had been implemented, 34.3 per cent were still in progress, and none remained completely unaddressed. Some recommendations had been fully executed, while others were actively being implemented, reflecting ongoing efforts to improve governance and accountability across public institutions.
