The Office of the Ombudsman has shown a slight progress made in reducing arrears of compensating citizens whose property was used or damaged during the implementation of development activities such as roads, hospitals and schools, among others.
Presenting the Ombudsman annual report 2023-2024 to parliament (Chamber of Deputies and Senate) on October 22, 2024, the Ombudsman, Madeleine Nirere indicated that land-related issues remain the highest number of cases received with 29%, followed by welfare issues at 16% and compensation issues accounted for 7% among others issues.
Nirere said that despite lingering cases of delays recorded in the current fiscal year, the amount of money meant for compensating citizens has reduced from Rwf100billion to Rwf15.4billion.
The report showed that in 2022/2023, unresolved land cases witnessed over Rwf406million unpaid in compensations out of the Rwf806million that was supposed to be disbursed to 1,266 claimants.
This year alone, Nirere showed that out of the Rwf92billion, Rwf76billion was paid and Rwf15.4billion remain unpaid compensation for land used and property damaged during implementation of economic activities.
Though there is a change seen here compared to the past year (which had Rwf100billion unpaid), Nirere told parliament that the issue of delayed compensation must be addressed to boost social and economic development anticipated in the second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).
“These citizens need the money. Therefore, we are calling for all the compensation payments to be speeded up in the coming year,” Nirere said.
The report also showed that among the seven districts visited, the highest number of cases were seen in the city of Kigali. For instance, Gasabo came top with 35%, Huye 18%, Rubavu 16%, Kicukiro 13%, Rusizi 11%, Nyamaseke 9% and Nyarugenge 8%.
“Most cases are in the city of Kigali and we do follow up but we are asking for more work to be done to solve these cases especially in the city,” Nirere stated.
Reacting to the report, members of parliament also called for more efforts by local leaders to resolve citizen-based issues, a change that has to be reflected in the next report; and also adopt alternative dispute resolution mechanisms as suggested by the Ombudsman.
MP Jennifer Wibabara suggested that instead of having the Ombudsman’s office monitor issues in communities once a year, and yet the same issues keep coming around, alternative means of intervention could help.
“There could be a need to have more ombudsman representatives (ombudsman focal persons) at the local level and a need to increase focal persons who represent special interest groups in the local government administration at the grassroots,” Wibabara said.
Following these findings, a Chamber of Deputies committee will scrutinize the report and recommend taking action accordingly, but with a call to follow up before the report is reviewed by a Senate committee.
Corruption in Cooperatives
The report also showed that citizens are facing issues of funds embezzlement, especially in cooperatives, an act that is mainly a result of lack of follow up and limited financial skills for members to count their benefits. Of which cooperative heads take advantage.
For instance, there was a standing conflict in Nyamaseke district where 167 cooperative members complain over Cyato Tea Plantation & Factory Ltd using their land amounting to 38,8 hectares as collateral to acquire a bank loan without their consent.
The report also showed that a Community Health Workers commercial house worth Rwf390Million in Karongi district has been derailed by corruption and mismanagement of funds.
The cooperative has an unpaid debts and is facing embezzlement of Rwf24.9million involving 33 people, including the cooperative president who was paid Rwf7,471,955 and the secretary and the Accountant Secretary paid Rwf8,260,805 but these have not yet been pursued.
“Poor management is caused by the fact that managers do not have sufficient knowledge of the operations of the Karongi Community Health Workers Investment Group Ltd.
“There is a need to follow up on financial management but especially cooperative managers who embezzled these funds and taking advantage of the lack of follow up,” Nirere said.
