Rwandans’ sense of safety remains high at 93.63 pct, slightly down from last year: report

KIGALI, Oct. 31– Rwandans’ sense of safety and security remains high, with a score of 93.63 percent, according to a report released by the Rwanda Governance Board Tuesday in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. The 10th edition of the annual report, titled “Rwanda Governance Scorecard,” assesses the performance of different sectors concerning the state of governance in…

KIGALI, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) — Rwandans’ sense of safety and security remains high, with a score of 93.63 percent, according to a report released by the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) Tuesday in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.

The ratio, however, is slightly down compared to the previous year when it stood at 95.53 percent.

The 10th edition of the annual report, titled “Rwanda Governance Scorecard,” assesses the performance of different sectors concerning the state of governance in Rwanda.

The scorecard is built on eight pillars, namely, the rule of law; political rights and civil liberties; participation and inclusiveness; safety and security; investing in human and social development; anti-corruption, transparency, and accountability; quality of service delivery; and economic and corporate governance.

Despite the slight decline, confidence levels among the population remain commendably high when it comes to the overall stability and well-being of Rwandans in the country, said Usta Kaitesi, chief executive officer of the RGB, a public institution established by law, while presenting the report.

She stressed that Rwanda, known for its effective governance and commitment to safety, has long been hailed for its secure environment. “This year’s Rwanda Governance Scorecard is the 10th edition of the tool that gauges the state of governance in Rwanda. It is part of Rwanda’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and efficiency,” said Kaitesi.

According to the report, anti-corruption, transparency, and accountability scored 88.97 percent, compared to 87.31 percent the previous year, rule of law stood at 88.89 percent, down from 90.81 percent in 2022 while political rights and civil liberties scored 88.01 percent, up from 87.84 percent the previous year.

In the safety and security cluster, maintaining security scored 96.92 percent, national security 95.57 percent, reconciliation, social cohesion, and unity 95.22 percent, and personal and property safety scored 86.81 percent.

Speaking at the report launch, Jean Claude Musabyimana, Rwandan minister of local government, emphasized that the content of the report will be useful in promoting efficient and effective governance.

He also stressed the need for all concerned institutions to implement the recommendations from the report’s findings.

“This report represents an important document on which as development partners we can continue our strategic dialogue with the government. A number of areas that remain continuing concerns for the citizens have been identified,” said Ozonnia Ojielo, United Nations resident coordinator for Rwanda.

He added that the Rwanda governance scorecard ensures the full alignment of the national commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals and Agenda 2063.

Tuesday’s event attracted a wide range of participants, including heads of government institutions, members of the diplomatic corps accredited to Rwanda, heads of international organizations, representatives of civil society organizations, the private sector, the academia and the media. Enditem