Kagame urged leaders to improve performance or step down
President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, has called on local government leaders to take greater responsibility in addressing citizens’ concerns, warning that failure to deliver results should not be tolerated and that those unable to perform should consider stepping down.
He made these remarks while closing a national consultative meeting that brought together central and local government officials at the Gako Military Academy. The meeting was attended by various leaders, including ministers and district officials.
Discussions during the meeting highlighted persistent governance challenges such as poor performance, lack of coordination among leaders, and inadequate service delivery to citizens.
In earlier remarks, the Prime Minister pointed to findings from a report by the Rwanda Governance Board, which showed a steady decline in service delivery
satisfaction from 78.2% in 2023 to 75.8% in 2024, and further down to 71.7% in 2025.
President Kagame criticized a pattern where leaders repeatedly acknowledge mistakes, apologize, and then repeat the same errors. He questioned why individuals continue making the same mistakes despite clearly understanding their responsibilities.
He urged leaders to reflect on whether the problem lies in their mindset or in how they execute their duties, noting that the issue appears to stem from failure to act effectively despite having the necessary knowledge.
The President also highlighted weaknesses in planning and implementation, emphasizing that development plans must align with execution. He warned that poorly designed or disconnected plans lead to ineffective outcomes or unnecessarily high costs.
He cited an example from the Eastern Province involving an irrigation project that was also meant to provide water to residents, but only one component was implemented while the other was overlooked. This, he said, reflects a lack of coordination among those responsible.
Eastern Province Governor Pudence Rubingisa acknowledged the shortcomings, attributing them to poor communication among leaders. He pledged to improve collaboration and ensure that citizens’ views are considered in projects that affect them.
President Kagame concluded by stressing the urgent need for a shift in leadership behavior, urging officials to move beyond repeated apologies and instead focus on fulfilling their responsibilities effectively and working collaboratively to resolve issues permanently.
