President Kagame calls for accountability as 20th national dialogue council opens

Addressing participants from across the country and Rwandans following the dialogue, President Kagame emphasized that leadership is a responsibility rooted in service, fairness, and accountability. He expressed concern over persistent cases where citizens are engaged in development projects but are denied fair compensation for their labor.

The President highlighted situations in which project managers and supervisors receive regular salaries while ordinary citizens, who work daily on the same projects, are left unpaid. He questioned the justification behind such practices, describing them as unjust and unacceptable.

“You find citizens working every day, yet they receive nothing, while those leading the projects are paid. When asked, excuses are given, but the fact remains someone benefited while the citizen did not,” Kagame said.

He also condemned incidents where citizens were required to continue working during public holidays such as Christmas and New Year, while those in charge took time off. According to the President, forcing citizens to work without compensation, especially during holidays, reflects poor leadership and disregard for citizens’ rights.

“That must stop, without exception,” Kagame said, stressing that accountability must be enforced at all levels of leadership. He pointed to city authorities, district leaders, and officials in ministries overseeing citizen related projects, saying they must closely monitor activities under their responsibility and ensure that citizens are treated fairly.

President Kagame further underscored the importance of responsible management of public resources. He reminded leaders that accepting public office means accepting scrutiny over how resources entrusted to them are used.

“When you accept responsibility, you must also accept to be questioned,” he said. “You are given resources on behalf of all Rwandans. You must show how they were used and whether they reached those they were meant to serve.”

He added that leaders who fail to account for the use of public resources should be prepared to refund misused funds if they cannot justify their actions.

While acknowledging that some cases of wrongdoing may go undetected, the President insisted on strengthening a culture of accountability. Once misconduct is identified, he said, those responsible must be held to account and punished accordingly.

The National Dialogue Council remains a key platform for open engagement between citizens and leadership, allowing Rwandans to reflect on governance, development, and national priorities. The 20th edition continues Rwanda’s tradition of dialogue, transparency, and citizen centered leadership, reinforcing the principle that development must serve the people it is intended to benefit.

Pichou BYIRINGIRO/The Kaminuza Star