HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF GOVERNANCE IN RWANDA AND HOW THE DEVELOPMENT SHAPED THE LANDSCAPE OF ITS INSTITUTIONS
Abstract
Rwanda is a country with a turbulent recent history punctuated by recurrent identity-based violence with harrowing and notorious effects. Political turmoil in Rwanda has been a cyclic and had reached its peak with the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi where hundreds of thousands of Tutsis were systematically killed under the leadership of Hutu extremists then in power after the obscure shooting down of the aircraft of Hutu President Habyarimana Juvenal. Twenty nine years have now passed since the genocide against the Tutsi and the military victory of the RPF that liberated the country and stopped the Genocide against the Tutsi. During this period, a new generation has been born and raised under the leadership of the RPF. This generation, which has no direct recollection of the genocide against the Tutsi and of the events and circumstances that led to it, is being brought up with the expectation of moving towards a better future based on the harsh lessons of the past. Post-conflict states face more difficulties than others to develop. This is not surprising considering the many challenges associated with ensuring peace and stability, reconstructing the state, re-building infrastructure, etc. Africa indeed has a number of examples of post-conflict states that struggle with improving their desperate conditions. The new aid paradigm, that focuses on country ownership of development and the strengthening of country systems to deliver services to the population is challenged by post-conflict and fragile states where a State’s capacity to manage its own affairs is low and scrutiny of the Government by the public is not possible. In case a government does not appear to make progress to improve these conditions, how can one improve effectiveness of Development Partners support? The RPF leading government introduced several reforms aimed at rebuilding the country, including the decentralization of power, the promotion of reconciliation, and the establishment of new institutions, such as the National Unity and Reconciliation Commission and the Gacaca courts. Since then, Rwanda has made significant progress in terms of governance, including in areas such as anti-corruption, gender equality, and social - economic development. However, critics have also raised from Human Right Watch Organizations (HRWO) concerns about the government's authoritarian tendencies, lack of political opposition, and human rights abuses. The current landscape of Rwanda's institutions reflects these complex historical developments, with a mix of centralized and decentralized power structures, a stronghold political ruling party, and efforts to promote reconciliation and development.
Keywords: Governance, Rwanda, Systematic Review, Achievements, Challenges
CITATION: Rwigema, P. C. (2023). Historical development of governance in Rwanda and how the development shaped the landscape of its institutions. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 10 (2), 485–528.
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