The Head of State was speaking Thursday in Kigali at the presentation and signing of 2017/18 and 2018/2019 performance Contracts (Imihigo) respectively, and dissolving the Parliament’s Chamber of Deputies.
Kagame said that through Performance Contracts, leaders assess the way they can leverage the available means to achieve set targets, a system which helps understand the reason leaders fall short on certain goals even when they have the means.
“In 2017/18 Imihigo, we have seen how our different districts performed. Those who scored 80% and above fell short on the remaining 10%. Why did that happen? This results from lack of coordination and collaboration. For those lagging behind, the issue is even worse,” he said.
“For those who performed poorly, it’s an issue of leadership. Leaders who spend their time in unnecessary wrangles instead of fulfilling their responsibilities. Lack of communication, common understanding, and coordination results in such poor performances,” he added.
Kagame urged leaders to separate personal conflicts from the institutions they head.
“Focus your attention on resolving issues that affect your communities. Using your position to solve personal issues and for personal gain is wrong,” he said.
“What does it require for us to understand that we must work with each other? What does it take to deliver on our promises? Should we ask somebody else to teach us that too? Aren’t we human like anybody else?” Kagame questioned.
Kagame reminded leaders on citizen outreach and solving community issues.
“We are always emphasizing the need to improve on citizen outreach and understand their needs and do what is necessary to solve these issues but what we see instead is leaders who travel upcountry for a mere photo-op to prove they were there. Our development partners are better at citizen outreach than we are. Have we been adopted in our own country? Is this our philosophy? Is this our politics?” Kagame wondered.
{{Impact of poor performance}}
Kagame said that poor performance of some districts cause huge impacts on people including malnutrition among children.
“For districts that performed poorly, this has a huge impact on the lives of our citizens. This is the reason why we still find stunted and malnourished children in our villages.”
He reminded leaders to put much attention on fighting malnutrition and consider it as an urgent task.
“Most of our children are malnourished not because we don’t have nutritious food to give them but due to the fact that there is no one on their side to follow-up,” he said.
The Head of State urged leaders on exemplary work and clear vision.
“We should all aspire to become exemplary leaders. Leaders who are willing to do all that is necessary to take our country where it deserves to be. Leaders with a clear vision of what needs to be done,” he added.
{{To the Members of Parliament}}
As Rwandans prepare for Parliamentary elections next month, Kagame said that their job should not be business as usual.
“We will elect new MPs next month. This should not be ‘business as usual’. They will have to build on what their predecessors have achieved and put more efforts where we still have noticeable gaps,” he said.
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