Over the past 25 years, Rwanda’s decentralisation journey has brought decision-making closer to citizens, strengthened local government capacity and enabled better service delivery, citizen participation, local economic development and accountability. Digitalisation is increasingly transforming local governance, with services such as Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), registration certificates and land services becoming more accessible through digital platforms. The experience of Irembo demonstrates the impact of this transformation. According to a 2025 assessment by the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC), from when Irembo was established in 2015, digital service delivery has increased accessibility by 80.73 per cent, reduced service delivery time by 86.61 per cent, and contributed to a 71.53 per cent reduction in incidences of corruption. Mbaza strengthens citizen feedback by enabling concerns to be submitted and tracked, while the Social Registry provides integrated household and socio-economic data to support better targeting, evidence-based planning and informed local decision-making. Rwanda’s 25 years of decentralization provide an opportunity to shape its next generation through digitalisation, advanced technologies and innovation, bringing better decisions, services and development closer to citizens. The cell at the centre The Cell must be at the centre of Rwanda’s next phase of decentralisation. As the closest decentralised entity to citizens, the Cell is where government meets people every day, the first point for accessing services, raising concerns, receiving information and providing feedback. With Cells serving thousands of households and populations ranging from approximately 8,000 10,000 people. Strengthening the cell is essential to making decentralization more responsive, accessible and results oriented. The future of decentralisation should be a digitally enabled Cell that serves as the gateway to government services. This means equipping Cells with reliable connectivity, digital infrastructure, appropriate technology, real-time data and capable personnel, while integrating them with national and local digital systems. The Cell should not simply be the closest government office; it should become the most accessible, connected and citizen-centred gateway through which people access services, information and government support bringing the benefits of decentralization directly to every community. Fiscal decentralisation must evolve alongside functional decentralisation. As responsibilities at the local level expand, decentralised entities require adequate, sustainable resources, stronger local revenue mobilisation and greater financial autonomy to deliver effectively. The next phase of decentralisation must therefore invest in digital systems, local infrastructure, data, skilled personnel and sustainable financing, while strengthening citizen participation and accountability. Progress should be measured by what changes for citizens: easier access to services, shorter waiting times, better service delivery, stronger accountability and more responsive local government. Achieving this vision will require collective responsibility, with all government institutions, decentralised entities, development partners, the private sector, civil society and citizens contributing to the transformation. In line with the Prime Minister’s Order governing sectoral decentralisation, MINALOC, as the institution responsible for coordinating decentralization, is well placed to provide the strategic leadership and policy direction needed to advance this agenda. The future of decentralisation in Rwanda is about building local governments that are digitally enabled, financially sustainable and professionally capable local governments that use data and technology to make better decisions, have the resources and authority to act, and remain firmly focused on results for citizens. The writer is a governance and decentralization expert.
