The government has introduced a simplified appeals process to help citizens who believe they were placed in the wrong category under the Imibereho Social Registry System.

Officials said the new system has already corrected 93 per cent of disputed classifications.

Godfrey Kayigana, the Director General of Social Affairs and Community Development at the Ministry of Local Government, said 360,000 people have appealed their classifications since the digital registry was introduced in early 2024.

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Kayigana said this recently while discussing the new community-based health insurance (Mutuelle de Santé) contribution structure that came into effect with the 2026/27 fiscal year.

Residents who believe they have been assigned to the wrong category can now report the matter through their village office, where the village committee verifies their living conditions before endorsing the request. The recommendation is then submitted to the cell office, where the information is entered into the system and corrected.

In cases where the information provided differs from what is already recorded, the case may be referred to the sector level, and the resident may be required to submit supporting documents, such as proof of asset transfer or deregistration, before any changes are made.

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According to Kayigana, the simplified process was introduced after the rollout of the digital social registry triggered complaints from households that said their classifications did not reflect their actual living conditions.

"Many of the disputed classifications stem from outdated information held in the government database. For example, some people may have sold land or vehicles without completing the legal transfer process, causing the system to continue recognising them as owners even though they no longer possess those assets,” he said.

"The social registry determines a household's socio-economic status primarily using income data, while also taking into account assets such as land, motorcycles and vehicles.”

The platform is integrated with other government databases, including land records and salary information from the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), the system also records the tax paid by an individual through Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA).

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For households in the informal sector, classifications are based on a scoring system that combines self-reported information with data drawn from other government systems.

Kayigana urged citizens to keep their information up to date by reporting changes in their income or assets, noting that the digital system relies on accurate records to determine eligibility for government support.

"There are also people who have been put in the lower category that see that the money they pay is lower than what they used to pay or what they should pay. People are supposed to come to report these kinds of cases too,” he said.

According to officials, the government plans to further strengthen the Imibereho Social Registry system over the next three years by integrating additional sources of financial information, including mobile money and bank transaction data, among other with an aim of improving the accuracy of household classifications and reducing complaints.

Deogratias Ntigurirwa, the Mobilisation and Registration Division Manager for the Mutuelle de Sante at RSSB, said the enhanced system is expected to provide a more accurate picture of households' financial situations by relying on broader data rather than self-declared information alone.

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"This is still a new system, so some errors are inevitable. Over the next three years, we will continue improving it by incorporating additional data, so that the information we have reflects people's actual circumstances. Our goal is that, after that period, everyone will be correctly classified,” he said.

Ntigurirwa said the changes come as the government continues to refine the system while implementing the new Mutuelle de Sante contribution structure.

He noted that although some households have disputed their classifications, the registry will become increasingly accurate as more data is integrated and citizens continue updating their records.

Ntigurirwa also revealed that Mutuelle de Sante contributions have declined by 12 per cent compared with the same period last year, despite intensified public awareness campaigns aimed at encouraging households to enrol under the new contribution structure.

He attributed the decline largely to the increase in contribution rates, saying many households are still adjusting to the new payment structure.

"Many people were used to paying Rwf3,000, while only a few were paying Rwf7,000. Asking someone who used to contribute Rwf3,000 to now pay Rwf8,000, even if they can afford it, is not easy. It requires a lot of explanation and public awareness,” he said.

"We are currently at 51 per cent, compared with 63 per cent at the same time last year. That shows there is a gap between where we were last year and where we are today,” he said.