However, few hours after submitting their letters, some mayors or vice-mayors get arrested.
A recent example is that of former Nyabihu Vice-mayor in charge of social affairs, Clarisse Mukansanga who, together with former mayor Théoneste Uwanzwenuwe, submitted their resignation letters citing personal reasons.
Both local government officials submitted their letters on May 11th and the next day Mukansanga was arrested suspected of fanning genocide ideology.
{{Resignation and suspension wave }}
Since general mayoral elections took place in February 2016, among 30 district mayors who had been elected for five-year mandate, in two years only, six of them are no longer in their jobs, some resigning and others being forced out offices.
For Former Kamonyi District Mayor, Aimable Udahemuka, 16 months in the office was enough for him to resign. Udahemuka submitted his resignation letter to the District Council president on June 20th 2017.
Though Udahemuka cited personal reasons, upon his resignation, the chairperson for Kamonyi District Council, Emmanuel Karuranga told the media that the resignation decision came as Udahemuka was under pressure from the council which was accusing him of neglecting council decisions, delaying their implementation, dodging council meetings and indiscipline.
“The district council also wanted to take some sanctions against him over his conduct which damaged the district reputation. He was, especially, accused of over-drinking and indiscipline,” Karuranga said.
On August 29th 2017, 18 months after the elections, former Rubavu District Mayor Jeremie Sinamenye submitted his resignation letter.
Prior to resignation, Sinamenye had been arrested in July over allegations of sabotaging presidential electoral campaigns for Private Candidate in his district. The presidential elections took place in August 2017.
Sinamenye was later released, but he tendered in his resignation letter on August 29th.
On November 16th 2017, 21 months in the office was enough for former Nyamagabe Mayor, Philbert Mugisha along with other five district officials to be arrested, suspected on embezzlement and involvement in shoddy tenders.
Though the court later acquitted Mugisha after the prosecution failed to present evidence pinning him on the charges, Mugisha had already been fired from his job.
Mugisha was suspended only two days after he had been in Police custody.
Upon his suspension the Chairperson of Nyamagabe District council, Fiacre Ndahindurwa told IGIHE that the council decided to sack him after falling short on delivery.
“We held a meeting and discussed resources management issues. Our District has been appearing before parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for two years consecutively over poor management. We thus decided to dismiss him from district the council. Being dismissed from the council simply means that he is no longer the mayor, because a district mayor comes from district council” Ndahindurwa explained.
He said that Mugisha was no longer a trustworthy as he was suspected of involvement in mismanagement and embezzlement cases.
The disastrous wave of mayor’s resignations and suspension reached Ruhango District on March and left all members of the Executive Committee sacked.
The move took place on March 7th 2018 and left Ruhango District Mayor, François Xavier Mbabazi, vice-mayor in charge of Finance and Economic Development Epimaque Twagirimana and that of Social Affairs, Annonciata Kambayire dismissed from their jobs.
Upon their dismissal, the Ruhango District Council Chairperson, Jérôme Gasasira Rutagengwa told IGIHE that all officials were dismissed after being accused of different malpractices in the implementation of different projects.
“We dismissed them from Ruhango District council due to malpractices. There are different improper deeds that have been made during the implementation of different projects as revealed by auditing report. Some mistakes were made by technicians but the political responsibility falls on the mayors’ shoulders,” he explained.
Between May 11th to May 14th 2018, Nyabihu District had no member of the executive committee following separate resignation of all members.
It all started with March resignation of Vice-mayor in charge of Finance and Economic Development, Antoine Mugwiza and April resignation of the District Executive Secretary, James Ngabo.
The move in Nyabihu was capped with the resignation of former Mayor Théoneste Uwanzwenuwe and former Vice-Mayor in Charge of Social Affairs, Clarisse Mukansanga on 11th May.
Two days after Nyabihu’s resignation, former Rusizi District Mayor, Frédéric Harerimana submitted his resignation citing personal reasons.
“I have resigned for my personal reasons; there isn’t any problem that pushed me to resign. I have done a lot for the time I led the district. Any person can feel tired and want to change the work but it is just for my personal reasons that I have resigned,” he told IGIHE.
“I am proud of the progress we have attained. District residents, partners and I believe nothing will roll that back,” he added.
On April 10th 2018, former City of Kigali Mayor, Pascal Nyamulinda submitted his resignation letter after only fourteen months in the office.
Like many others, Nyamulinda also cited personal reasons. Nyamulinda had taken over the City Hall in February 2017 replacing Monique Mukaruliza who was appointed the Rwanda’s High Commissioner to Zambia.
Generally, six district mayors and four vice-mayors, and one City mayor are no longer in their jobs in the first five-year mandate. They were eligible to compete for two consecutive terms in office.
The resignation and dismissal is not the problem with mandate starting from 2016 mayoral elections mandate.
The new district administrative entities were introduced in 2006 and started with mayors who served five-year renewable mandate.
Among 30 mayors who started with newly formed districts, only two served both mandates. Among them include, former mayor of Rulindo District Justus Kangwagye who was appointed to head Rwanda Governance Board Department of Political Parties and Civil Society Organisations.
Also former Gisagara District Mayor, Leandre Karekezi served all ten years. Currently, Karekezi is the President of Rwanda Volleyball Federation.
By the end of 2015, Former Spokesperson of the Ministry of Local Governance (MINALOC), Ladislas Ngendahimana told KT Press that in ten years since 2008, 48% of the mayors resigned and left the districts in bad status.
{{Something behind resignations}}
Speaking to this reporter, the Executive Secretary of Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA), Ladislas Ngendahimana said that it is the right of leaders to resign as the government cannot force them to stay in office once they decided to step down.
He said despite citing personal reasons, no one did approach RALGA or reported any problem.
“We wish that a person who serves in local government can spend as long period as possible. When they leave early without telling us the actual problem, they leave another task of identifying the problem inside the local governments,” he explained.
Using an example of former Rubavu Nyabihu Mayors, Ngendahimana said that they were tired , for him it is better to step down when they think they are incapable of serving.
“I see the problem in three categories; there are those who were dismissed, those who had fallen short on delivery and self-evicted and others of who we should conduct a study to identify the reason behind their resignations,” he explained.
“Actually, the person who decides to resign always has a reason behind personal reasons. Besides those who were suspended by the district council, others resign when still under investigations,” he explained.
He said that among mayors that have resigned, none has gone to RALGA for any form of support. “Generally behind what they call personal reasons, there are responsibilities which they might have failed to deliver though they can’t tell that to the public,” he said.
{{ Transparency speaks}}
The Chairperson of Transparency International Rwanda, Marie Immaculée Ingabire emphasizes that all mayors resign due to personal reasons.
“Whether they are forced to resign or not, these are personal reasons including failure to deliver,” she explained.
Ingabire says that she sees no crisis in resignation because the districts are well staffed for the activities to continue when there is no mayor.
“I would understand that there is a crisis if the entire cabinet were to resign. But for the districts, even 20 of them can go and the country moves on,” she said.
{{ People speak}}
Jean Claude Murekezi, a resident of Musambira Sector of Kamonyi District observed that the resignation of some mayors affect the implementation of some projects.
“Imagine if one mayor had been collaborating with other staffs in monitoring the implementation of a certain project and then resign when the project is yet to be completed. It affects completion of the project,” he said.
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