President Paul Kagame has delivered one of his strongest public warnings yet to leaders in Kigali and across the country, calling for immediate action against corruption, poor service delivery, and urban disorder that continues to affect everyday life.
Speaking at the closing of a high-level consultative meeting that brought together national and local government officials, Kagame made it clear that persistent failures in basic services are no longer acceptable and that silence in the face of wrongdoing is itself a form of complicity.
“There is something I don’t understand,” he told the audience. “Why do people celebrate that corruption has reduced instead of demanding that it be completely eliminated? What does ‘small corruption’ even mean?”
His remarks struck a direct chord with officials in the room, many of whom are responsible for overseeing public services in rapidly growing urban areas like Kigali.
The President challenged leaders to confront a reality they already know exists but often fail to address.
“You know where services are not delivered properly,” he said. “You see it, but you remain silent. Even those who are not involved in corruption choose silence. But silence is the same as being part of it.”
His tone reflected growing frustration with what he described as systemic weaknesses particularly in how services are delivered to citizens at the local level.
On the ground, those weaknesses are visible in ways that go beyond statistics.
In neighborhoods across Kigali, residents still encounter delays in accessing essential services, from healthcare to administrative support. For some, these delays carry serious consequences.
Kagame illustrated this with a stark example: a pregnant woman who reportedly died after being turned away from a health facility due to an issue with her community-based health insurance registration.
“She was told her insurance was not properly registered in the system,” Kagame said. “She went back home and died. How is that possible?”
The question hung heavily in the room.
For many Rwandans, the story reflects a deeper concern that bureaucratic inefficiencies, when combined with indifference or corruption, can lead to irreversible outcomes.
“It is not just about systems failing,” said a health worker who attended the meeting. “It is about decisions made by people. Someone could have helped her. That is what hurts.”
The President questioned why the woman was not treated first, with administrative issues addressed later a practice that could have saved her life.
“Where are those responsible?” he asked. “Were they held accountable?”
Beyond service delivery, Kagame also turned his attention to the physical state of the city, pointing to sanitation and urban planning challenges that continue to undermine Kigali’s image as a clean and organized capital.
He described moments when he personally intervened after noticing waste along the roadside.
“When I see dirt on the road, I stop and ask those with me to clean it,” he said. “How can we accept this?”
In some areas, he noted, well-constructed buildings stand next to muddy, poorly maintained surroundings—an inconsistency that reflects gaps in urban management.
“Where it is necessary, plant grass. Improve the surroundings of buildings,” he urged. “These are not expensive solutions. Communities themselves can be involved.”
For residents, these issues are not abstract.
In one busy commercial area, a shop owner described the daily struggle to maintain cleanliness amid limited infrastructure.
“We try to keep our place clean,” he said. “But when the drainage is poor or waste collection delays, it becomes difficult. We need better coordination.”
The President also criticized the growing number of unfinished buildings scattered across the city, suggesting that lax enforcement has allowed the problem to persist.
He revealed that he had personally raised the issue multiple times with city authorities, including the Mayor of Kigali, but had seen little progress.
“I come back and find the same problems,” he said. “I call again, and things stop temporarily, then return. How many times should I repeat this?”
At one point, Kagame disclosed that he had advised the city to establish a dedicated task force involving police, security agencies, and urban planning authorities to address such issues systematically.
“I gave that advice years ago,” he said. “Why is it only being implemented now?”
His message was clear: delays and inaction are no longer acceptable.
“If these problems are not solved, those responsible should step aside,” he warned.
The remarks extended beyond the city, touching on broader social challenges including family instability, school dropout rates, and gaps in community support systems.
“There are families breaking apart, children leaving school,” he said. “Where are the people who should be helping them?”
In agriculture, Kagame questioned why Rwanda has yet to achieve full food self-sufficiency despite ongoing efforts to boost production.
“What is missing?” he asked. “If we mobilize people properly, they can produce and succeed.”
He also highlighted post-harvest losses, particularly the lack of adequate packaging and processing systems that lead to wasted produce.
The Prime Minister, responding during the meeting, acknowledged that the issue had been discussed previously but pointed to poor implementation as a key obstacle.
For farmers, the impact is tangible.
“We harvest, but sometimes we lose a lot before it reaches the market,” said a farmer from the outskirts of Kigali. “If there were better systems, we would earn more.”
Kagame’s speech, while critical, also carried an underlying call for responsibility at every level of leadership.
It emphasized that Rwanda’s progress often praised internationally must be matched by consistent performance in the everyday experiences of its citizens.
Back in the streets of Kigali, life continued as usual after the meeting. Motorcycles weaved through traffic, vendors served customers, and construction sites buzzed with activity.
But the President’s words are likely to resonate far beyond the conference hall.
For many, they serve as both a warning and a reminder: that development is not only measured by big projects or national statistics, but by the quality of services people receive, the cleanliness of their surroundings, and the accountability of those in charge.
As one civil servant who attended the meeting put it quietly, “The message is simple do your job, and do it right. Because people’s lives depend on it.”
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