Weaknesses in public procurement, asset management, and compliance with laws and procedures remain the most persistent challenges in districts’ public financial management (PFM), according to a new analysis by Transparency International Rwanda (TI-Rwanda). The findings were unveiled on April 2 during the launch of TI-Rwanda’s analysis of the Auditor General’s reports for decentralised entities and the City of Kigali for the fiscal year ending in June 2024. The study drew on audit reports from all 27 districts and the City of Kigali. ALSO READ: Key findings in 2022-2023 Auditor General’s report It revealed an upward trend in financial management gaps, where non-expenditure-related weaknesses rose by 38 percent, increasing from Rwf 1,132.027 billion in the 2022/23 fiscal year to Rwf 1,343.853 billion in 2023/24. At the same time, asset management weaknesses nearly doubled, increasing by 95 percent, while expenditure-related weaknesses surged by 250 percent, an indication of growing inefficiencies in the management of public resources. The report further showed that non-compliance with laws and regulations remains the largest contributor to public finance management weaknesses, representing 63.2 percent of the total, equivalent to Rwf 1,313.833 billion. The analysis highlighted persistent challenges such as delays, poor planning, and irregular tendering processes. In addition, inefficient asset management including idle public assets and inadequate maintenance, continues to undermine value for money in public spending. Speaking at the launch, TI-Rwanda Executive Director Apollinaire Mupiganyi emphasized the need to translate audit findings into concrete action. “It is a governance imperative. It is about ensuring that every franc of public resources contributes to improving the lives of citizens,” he noted. Richard Kubana, Director General at the Ministry of Local Government in charge of community mobilisation and youth volunteers, described the analysis as a useful benchmark for improvement. “This is a good exercise that shows us where we are coming from and where we need to go. We are not yet where we want to be, but it highlights the gaps and what must be done,” he said.
