Rwanda Governance Scorecard 2018 indicates that citizens are satisfied with Abunzi services at 88.54% rate with some voices raised on some who take bribes.
Citizens say that bribes given to Abunzi are given different slangs including inyoroshyangendo that can be loosely translated as ‘that which eases the journey’, umuti w’ikaramu ‘the ink of the pen’, guhagurutsa inteko ‘rising up the committee’ among others.
In a press conference on Friday, the President of the Supreme Court said that information on the Abunzi who take bribes is known at the Supreme Court level.
“It is true, some citizens say Abunzi don’t do their work adequately and there is too much corruption among them. We always sensitize the Abunzi to never engage in corruption but some don’t understand us. Those will be punished like all the other criminals,” he said.
Rugege added they will keep sensitizing citizens about their entitlement without involving bribery.
“In the judiciary, we are unrelentingly fighting corruption among workers in the justice sector. We urge citizens never to give bribes or entice workers to receive it. This drive will continue among the Abunzi and punishment awaits the errant ones,” Rwanda’s Chief Justice Rugege added.
In May this year, the President of the mediation Committee Abunzi in Nganzo Cell, Muhanga Sector of Muhanga District, was arrested over attempting to bribe an official of the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB).
The mediation committee member allegedly attempted to bribe the RIB staff after he falsified documents of a judgment he had presided over and had an effect on the case trials in higher court processes.
Abunzi is a Rwandan homegrown solution, where persons known within their communities for integrity – in traditional Rwandan society – are given powers to mediate in the event of conflict.
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