A citizen should not have to travel to Kigali or wait for approval from a distant office for a service that a local authority could competently provide. The Government’s review of which additional services to decentralise is therefore necessary and timely.

According to figures presented to Parliament, 44 per cent of government services have been decentralised. Yet service delivery performance has fallen from 81 per cent in 2021 to 68.4 per cent in 2026. That decline demands action. Citizens judge government by whether their problems are resolved promptly, fairly and affordably.

Land services offer a practical example of what decentralisation can achieve. Transferring certain responsibilities to local authorities removed the requirement for provincial approval in some transactions, thereby shortening the process. The principle should guide the current review. Where an administrative layer adds delay without improving oversight, remove it.

Local governance also creates opportunities for citizens to influence decisions and demand answers. The reported resolution of 4,048 out of 4,192 concerns raised during community assemblies demonstrates the value of accessible channels through which residents can raise problems and obtain responses.

But transferring responsibilities alone will not improve services. Local officials already face heavy workloads. Giving them additional duties without adequate staff, funding, equipment and decision-making authority would simply move the bottleneck closer to citizens.

Every service selected for decentralisation should therefore come with a clear implementation package - trained personnel, an appropriate budget, reliable systems and defined accountability. Responsibilities must be explicit so that citizens are not sent back and forth between institutions.

National government must retain responsibility for setting standards, monitoring performance and addressing disparities between local authorities. Where someone lives should never determine the quality of service they receive.

Digital platforms should support this effort by reducing unnecessary visits and making applications easier to track. Irembo platform has already built a strong foundation from where to start. More importantly, assisted access must remain available for citizens who lack connectivity or digital skills.

The success of this review should be measured through shorter waiting times, fewer journeys, lower costs and complaints resolved. Publishing these results would help citizens hold institutions accountable.

Rwanda has already demonstrated that bringing decisions closer to communities can simplify procedures and strengthen participation. The next phase must give local authorities the means to deliver. Public services should be organised around the citizen’s needs, with decisions made at the closest level capable of handling them effectively.