The success of performance contract (Imihigo) requires time and efforts

Recently different authorities have presented  to H.E Paul Kagame  the achievements of the Imihigo contract during the passed term. However, observers say that the way used to assess these Imihigo is not fair and systematic enough. In regard to this, different radio stations  conducted a synergy show in order to discuss on the issues that lead to both the success and failure  of the Imihigo contract.

The guests in the show were Mr Munyeshyaka Vincent who is a Permanent Secretary  in the Ministry of local governance, Mr Mufuruke Fred, in charge of the monitoring of performance contract  and Mr Umuhire Valentin, a journalist .

The officials present at the show say that performance contact  are part and parcel of the national policies elaborated to achieve the EDPRS objectives in order to reach the 2020 vision.

Technically the objectives to achieve are selected by the locally elected bodies known as Njyanama advisory councils, one of the  official said.

After the objectives  are selected, he continued, the hierarchical bodies select what are the  most important objectives to achieve in regard to the national social and economic guidelines.

This goes together with the existing budget set for the district.

However as districts differ, the Ministry helps in the harmonization of  all selected economic objectives  as to have a common pictures of what needs to be done at national level.

The problem according to the journalists is that representatives in the Njyanama  advisory councils do not approach the population to learn more from what they really need, and this causes them  to draft economic projects that  do not  directly concern the population.

Another weakness highlighted relates to the mechanisms used to evaluate the success of the Imihigo contract.

The MINALOC representative in the show said that the results are set up after a careful assessment of the rate at which the chosen  objectives have been achieved.

As the governmental bodies are the ones that assess this performance contract, people wondered how fair is  the judgement out of that.

The officials in the show recognized that this is an idea that will be involved in the assessment of the next Imihigo   performance  contract  as to let the local population judge the success of the ‘Imihigo’.

In the assessment of the contract performance,  key objectives are the only ones that are evaluated in regard to the national policies.

Briefly the contracts for performance  are important tools to foster the national development in different areas but according to  both journalists and officials present at the show, it needs more efforts to improve and bear positive fruits as intended.

Each year performance contracts are signed between the President of Rwanda and local government institutions and line ministries.

These bind respective institutions to targets they set for themselves.

Performance contracts are measured against an agreed set of governance, economic and social indicators known as performance indicators.

Performance indicators provide a clear framework to establish domestic accountability at a level directly relevant to citizens.
Senior policy makers and citizens both closely follow the performance of governmental  institutions which are hotly debated at bi-annual evaluation meetings chaired by the President.

Local authorities are held accountable to their targets, and civil servants can be ired for  below-average performance

The performance contract process is still in its infancy. Problems include the monitoring of  agreed indicators and the setting of unrealistic targets.

Ensuring the contracts are properly  inserted into Rwanda’s wider planning and budgeting processes also remains a challenge.

This show  takes place every Sunday of every week from 2h00 up to 3h00. It intends at promoting the debating culture on issues that concern Rwandans. It is broadcasted by Radio Isango Star, Ishingiro, Isangano, Izuba, Inkoramutima, Radio Voice of Africa.

It is organised by Institut Panos Paris and Association Rwandaise des Jounalistes. The Imihigo performance contract relates to projects each district  has selected as the most important to be invested in so to improve the welfare of the population.

At the end of the term, officials present the results to the President of the Republic so to let him know how effective the projects are preforming.

 NIZEYIMANA Jean Pierre

UM– USEKE.RW