This newspaper reported yesterday that the majority of district investment groups were struggling uphill. Many that had been launched amid pomp and splendor have not even gotten past the first corner; they are mere shells of their ambitious dreams. The noble goal was to bring everyone on board as the country embarks on spreading development nationwide. There was no better way to achieve that than roping in districts and their prominent sons and daughters. Only Gasabo District seems to have made headway and other districts would be better advised to pick a leaf from its management. The biggest culprit that led to the failures was that many investment groups jumped into the investment race without viable business plans. Those that had managed to source the funds they needed to kick-start projects failed in following up on pledges, which could be blamed on negligence among the top management. The questions that linger on the mind; would the investments have been put to good use in the first place? Would there have been effective follow up and transparent accountability? Right now many districts are answering the above questions as more and more local leaders are either arrested for misusing state resources or forced to resign for incompetence. It is encouraging that the government is aware of the shortcomings among the investment groups and is trying to arrest the issue, but shareholders in those groups should also take ownership. The government will not always bail them out as a result of their ineptitude.
