Decentralization: How grassroots governance is driving unity and inclusion

Over the past 25 years, Rwanda’s decentralization has been central to transforming a deeply divided post-genocide society into a cohesive, inclusive, and forward-looking nation. Initiated in 2000 as a deliberate governance reform, decentralization has served as a political and developmental mechanism—bringing government closer to the people, empowering citizens, and strengthening national unity through participation and shared responsibility. ALSO READ: Decentralization in Rwanda: 25 years of meaningful citizen participation After the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, the country faced the monumental task of rebuilding trust, restoring social cohesion, and preventing historical divisions from resurfacing. Decentralization emerged as a strategy to embed local participation, accountability, and equitable development into the national reconstruction agenda. ALSO READ: Budget, staffing gaps are slowing decentralisation – report Rooted in principles of subsidiarity, national unity, and equitable development, Rwanda’s decentralization policy aimed to distribute decision-making power across all levels of society rather than concentrating it at the center. Beyond administrative reform, it sought to cultivate a sense of shared destiny and collective ownership of national development. By enabling communities to identify priorities, shape local plans, and engage in decision-making, citizens moved from passive recipients of services to active partners in governance. The 2025 Rwanda Governance Scorecard (RGS) affirms the country’s progress in participation, inclusiveness, and unity. Historically, the scorecard has recorded high performance in reconciliation, social cohesion, and unity, with scores above 95%, reflecting sustained efforts to foster a unified citizenry. The participation and inclusiveness pillar, which emphasizes decentralization, indicates that citizen engagement and decentralized decision-making are both functional and widely practiced. A core mechanism of decentralization is Inteko z’Abaturage (community meetings). Held at the village level, these assemblies bring residents together to discuss challenges, monitor local projects, and make joint decisions on development priorities. Participation rates often exceed 95%, demonstrating broad engagement and ownership of local governance. Through these forums, citizens and leaders engage in constructive dialogue, collectively address problems, and hold each other accountable. This participatory approach not only improves the relevance and responsiveness of public policies but also fosters mutual trust, respect, and solidarity, key elements of national unity. Decentralization supports Rwanda’s broader development objectives, including poverty reduction and equitable service delivery, which underpin social cohesion. It has expanded opportunities for historically underrepresented groups—women, youth, and people with disabilities—to voice concerns, influence decisions, and participate in economic and social development. Local councils and community structures ensure that governance is both inclusive and reflective of the population’s diversity, reinforcing unity. Rwanda’s decentralization framework explicitly upholds national unity and indivisibility, ensuring the process strengthens rather than undermines cohesion. Mechanisms such as performance contracts (Imihigo), Joint Action Development Forums (JADF), and monitoring systems align local priorities with national goals, providing transparency and accountability. Citizens and leaders can track progress, address gaps, and ensure local initiatives contribute to national unity. Rwanda’s experience demonstrates that decentralization can be a powerful engine for unity when grounded in participation, equity, and accountability. Over 25 years, inclusive governance has been a deliberate outcome of political design and consistent implementation. Sustained effort is important to: deepen inclusivity, particularly for youth, women, and persons with disabilities; strengthen institutional capacity at local levels; and integrate innovations in citizen engagement. Efforts to modernise data systems, improve communication platforms, and build leadership capacities will further solidify decentralization’s role in nurturing a united, resilient Rwanda. As Rwanda advances toward Vision 2050, decentralization remains a cornerstone of social cohesion, national identity, and inclusive prosperity. It has bridged societal divides by empowering citizens, ensuring governance is participatory and accountable, and embedding unity in everyday practice through community involvement and shared development goals. Innocent Ndahiro is a citizen participation specialist with over 10 years of experience in Rwanda’s local and central government systems.

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Decentralization: How grassroots governance is driving unity and inclusion