As the end to the electoral term for local leaders edges closer, Deogratias Nzamwita from Gakenke District is the only mayor who set to complete his two five-year terms.
First elected in 2011, Nzamwita was re-elected in 2016 after successfully completing his first term.
François Habitegeko, the former Nyaruguru District Mayor, would have probably recorded the same feat had he not been appointed the Governor of the Western Province in March this year.
Mayors are eligible to serve for two terms, five years each, but many of them resigned during the course of their tenure while some were sacked or appointed to other public offices.
Ahead of the elections, which are due on November 9 this year, The New Times takes a look at the events that shaped the two mayoral terms starting from 2011 until 2021.
Among the current mayors, the longest-serving are Aphrodise Nambaje of Ngoma District who was elected in May 2012, Gerald Muzungu of Kirehe District who assumed his duties in 2014 and Richard Gasana who has been at the helm of Gatsibo District since 2015.
Burera District’s Marie Chantal Uwanyirigira, Karongi’s Vestine Mukarutesi, Nyamasheke’s Mukarutesi Nyamasheke Appolonie Mukamasabo, Jacqueline Kayitare of Muhanga District and Jeannine Niwemucyo District are the shortest-serving. They were all elected in 2019.
Here is how the events unfolded in what was a turbulent term for some local leaders.
Which mayors have served at least one full term?
Out of 27 autonomous districts, which exclude the ones in Kigali, only 11 mayors have served one full term in office from 2016 to 2021. For others their tenure was short-lived following a wave of resignations, sacking and reappointment to other positions.
For instance, in the Southern Province-which is composed of eight districts-only two mayors are set to complete a full term in office. These are Jérôme Rutaburingoga from Gisagara District, and Erasme Ntazinda of Nyanza District. Others were either fired or resigned.
In the Northern Province, out of the five mayors, only two have served a full term in office. They include Deogratias Nzamwita from Gakenke District and Emmanuel Kayiranga from Rulindo District.
This is the same case in the Western Province, where only two out of seven mayors have served a full term. They are Rutsiro’s Emérence Ayinkamiye and Godfroid Ndayambaje of Ngororero District.
The Eastern Province has had a relatively quiet spell with only two out of seven mayors having resigned.
Those who survived the mayoral exit include Radjab Mbonyumuvunyi (Rwamagana), Jean Claude Murenzi (Kayonza) Richard Gasana (Gatsibo), Nambaje Aphrodise (Ngoma) and Gerald Muzungu (Kirehe).
Who was fired, forced to resign or resigned voluntarily?
More mayors were fired by their advisory councils as others resigned citing personal reasons with the most common wave of resignations having taken place in September 2019. The resignations came after the district leadership retreat.
More than 10 officials from four districts, including mayors and their deputies, resigned in less than a week, prompting social media users to metaphorically call the exists ‘Tour du Rwanda”
In Musanze District, for instance, Mayor Jean Damascène Habyarimana, resigned over a litany of issues, including suspected criminal offences such as corruption.
Karongi’s François Ndayisaba also resigned during the ‘tour’ and was replaced by Vestine Mukarutesi.
In Muhanga, Beatrice Uwamariya was forced to resign and replaced by Jacqueline Kayitare.
Others who stepped down in the Southern Province are Eugène Muzuka Kayiranga of Huye District, who was replaced by Ange Sebutege in June 2018.
Nyamagabe’s Philbert Mugisha was sacked over misconduct and he was replaced by Bonaventure Uwamahoro in February 2018.
Ruhango’s François Xavier Mbabazi was shown the exit door by the advisory council and replaced by Valens Habarurema in May 2018.
In the Northern Province, the advisory council of Gicumbi District lost confidence in the then mayor Juvénal Mudaheranwa, hence replacing him with Félix Ndayambaje in June 2018.
Burera District also witnessed some reshuffles as Mayor Marie Florence Uwambaje was appointed the Executive Secretary of the Western Province in December 2019.
In the Western Province, five out of seven mayors resigned.
They include Jérémie Sinamenye who resigned and was replaced by Gilbert Habyarimana in 2017. Sinamenye was later arrested and charged with trying to block electoral campaign activities for presidential candidate Phillipe Mpayimana.
Frédéric Harerimana, the Mayor of Rusizi District resigned in 2018 and was replaced by Ephraim Kayumba while Nyabihu’s Théoneste Uwanzwenuwe resigned in 2019 before being replaced by Antoinette Mukandayisenga.
Aimé Fabien Kamali of Nyamashake also stepped down and was replaced by Appolonie Mukamasabo in 2019.
In the Eastern Province, two mayors-Emmanuel Nsanzumuhire in Bugesera who cited personal reasons and George Mupenzi also presented his resignation to the advisory council and was replaced by David Claudian Mushabe in July 2018.
Call to bolster capacity for local leaders
Dr Eric Ndushabandi, a political and governance analyst, is of the view that increased capacity building will be the answer to some of the issues challenging local government leadership.
“Leadership is all about continuous learning, and preparedness. So, leaders need to always be trained so that their capacity can be scaled up to reach the maximum level to meet the demands of the population,” he said; “We have leaders who have the needed qualifications and professionalism, but sometimes they fail to deliver.”
He pointed out: “But leaders should work at the highest level of their capacity and deliver with the maximum effort.”
Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA) is responding to capacity challenges by setting up a leadership centre of excellence to train leaders grassroots level, particularly the newly elected ones.
Local elections for district mayors are slated for November 9. They had been delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as it was scheduled in late 2020. The new leaders are will assume office in February 2022.