General
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UNIT 2:THE ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES OF THE GOVERNMENT OF RWANDA AFTER THE GENOCIDE AGAINST THE TUTSI
2.1.1. Establishments of the Government of National Unity
The new government had to fill the power vacuum left by the defeated Interim
Government. In this regard, the constitution of June 10, 1991, the Arusha Peace
Agreement with all its protocols, the RPF declaration of July 17, 1994 and the
Agreement of November 24, 1994 between political parties were used by the
new Government in order to put in place its programme.
The Arusha Peace Agreement was the main source of inspiration for
governmental action. This was due to the fact that the Arusha Peace Agreement
included two important principles in the management of the state namely the
establishment of the rule of law and the power sharing arrangement. However,
the texts were adapted to the new situations. For instance, MRND and its
satellite political parties supporting the “Hutu power” and those involved in the
Genocide were excluded from new institutions of the Transitional Government.
Their posts had to be given to RPF.
A new army had to be created by integrating in the APR, the ex FAR and the
recruitment of those who had not participated in the Genocide. In addition,
independent people and soldiers were introduced in the Transitional Parliament
and a post of Vice President of the Republic carrying another portfolio was
allocated to RPF.
On July 19, 1994, the government programme was presented by Mr. Faustin
Twagiramungu. The latter was the Prime Minister designated by the Arusha
Peace Agreement.
The programme focused on the following points:
Restoration of peace and security; Organization of central and local
administration, i.e.préfectures, communes, sectors and cells; Restoration and
consolidation of national unity; Settlement of refugees and returning their
property; Improvement of living conditions of the people and solving the social
problems that resulted from war and Genocide; Revival of the country’s
economy; Consolidation of democracy.
During the establishment of the transitional institutions in July 1994, only
Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF), Mouvement Democratique Republicain (MDR),
Parti Social Democratique (PSD), Parti Liberal (PL),Parti Democratique Chretien
(PDC), Parti Social Rwandais (PSR), Union Democratique Politique Rwanda
(UDPR) and Parti Democratique Islamique (PDI) were officially recognized.
Later, MDR was excluded from accepted political parties because of its divisive
ideology.A parliamentary report pointed out that some people wanted to use it
for their political agenda.
2.1.2. The achievements of the Government of National Unity on political level
Safeguarding national security
After the Genocide against the Tutsi, the security in Rwanda was extremely
unstable as there were still unhealed wounds from the war. Most of the
population was displaced, creating a volatile situation in the country. Military
strategies were devised to find solution and eradicate the thousands of military
groups and ex-combatants who continued to torment and kill citizens.
The problem of insecurity especially on the western border of the country was
caused by the incursions of Ex-FAR and Interahamwe militias. To put an end to
this destabilisation, the Government of Rwanda proceeded to the repatriation of
refugees from Zaïre, current DRC and military operations aiming at weakening
the combatants.
Politico-administrative reforms and fight against injustice
From its inception, the Government was supposed to set up administrative
structures from the top to the bottom. Due to lack of time to produce the
most appropriate administrative framework, it maintained the structure left
by the defeated regime namely central government, prefectures (provinces),
communes (Districts), sectors and cells.
From 2001, Rwanda’s decentralization policy was an important innovation.
Its objective was to empower and invite the population to participate actively
in debates on issues that concerned it directly. It also aimed at encouraging
the electorate in the countryside to provide information and explain issues in
order to take decisions knowingly. The decentralization of activities went hand
in hand with the decentralization of financial, material and human resources.
The first phase (2001-2005) aimed at establishing democratic and community
development structures at the district level and was accompanied by a number
of legal, institutional and policy reforms, as well as democratic elections for
local leaders. However, the decentralisation process faced some challenges
because some leaders have to perform volunteer work. In addition, some of
them cumulated jobs and this could lead to their inefficiency.
To reinforce good governance in Rwanda, anti-corruption and public
accountability institutions were created by the Government. Their operational
capacity continued to be strengthened to achieve greater accountability.
They include the Office of the Ombudsman, Office of the Auditor General for
State Finances, Rwanda Public Procurement Authority and Rwanda Revenue
Authority etc...
These institutions are mandated to fight injustice, corruption and abuse by
public officials and related offences in both public and private administration
and to promote the principles of good governance based on accountability and
transparency.
Rwanda has also signed and ratified the United Nations Convention Against
Corruption (UNCAC), the African Union anti-corruption Convention (AUCC)
and the UN convention against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC).
In order to promote consensual democracy, since 2000, free, transparent and
peaceful elections have been organised at local levels and Rwanda has put in
place a new constitution that clearly defines the main principles as well as
performance and limit of political institutions, multiparty system and respect
of everybody’s right.
The 2003 Constitution accepts that almost important political positions in
the country must be shared by political parties and independent politicians.
This power sharing was observed not only in the government but also in the
Parliament made up of two chambers: the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.
These two chambers are complementary in nature, but independent of each
other. The Executive is overseen by parliament, according to the constitution,
while the judiciary power is also independent from the Executive and the
Legislative ones.
Promotion of unity and reconciliation
The national unity implies the indivisibility of the Rwandan people. All citizens
should have an equal opportunity to national economic resources and can claim
the same political rights. Rapidly, the Government of National Unity fought and
eliminated all constraints of national unity such as “ethnicity” and regionalism.
For instance, “ethnic” labels were removed from identity cards.
In the same perspective, the Commission of Unity and Reconciliation urges
Rwandans to strive to heal one another’s physical and psychological wounds
while building future interpersonal trust based on truth telling, repentance
and forgiveness. Thus, the Commission educates and mobilises Rwandans on
matters related to national unity and reconciliation and undertakes research
in the matter of peace, unity and reconciliation to make proposals on measures
for eradicating divisions and for reinforcing unity.
In addition, a series of strategies such as solidarity camps where different
categories of people meet to discuss issues related to unity and reconciliation
and programmes on radios are used by the Commission. The Government of
National Unity repatriated a big number of refugees which was a fundamental
obligation and a bridge to peace, national unity and reconciliation.
In addition to the above efforts, the Government of National Unity introduced
several structures and programmes that were meant to correct past errors that
led to war and Genocide. These structures include the National Commission of
Human Rights, the Gacaca Jurisdictions, Commission Nationale de Lutte Contre
le Génocide (CNLG) and Rwanda Demobilisation Commission.
Besides to promote unity among Rwandans new national symbols namely
the national anthem, the national flag and the coat of arms were designed to
reflect the unity of Rwandans. However, “ethnic” based ideologies propagated
by electronic media or in families keep hindering national unity.
Remaking justice
The Genocide was carefully planned and executed to annihilate the Tutsi. The
Government made it among its highest priorities to apprehend and bring to
justice the perpetrators of the Genocide.
Thousands of people were arrested and judged. Some of them were released
for lack of evidence and others convicted and sentenced. It is pertinent to the
people of Rwanda to feel that no reconciliation is possible without justice.
The big number of prisoners and cases due for trial placed severe strain on
Rwanda’s criminal justice system which had already been crippled by the
murder of professionals during the Genocide. The Government of National
Unity decided to ease pressure on the criminal justice system by categorising
Genocide suspects according to the crimes they were accused of. In this regard,
category 1 was composed of the planners and perpetrators of the Genocide.
A number of 2,133 people were convicted in the conventional courts. The
categories 2-4 where involvement was slightly less serious were convicted in
traditional jurisdictions or Gacaca courts.
This new process significantly sped up trials and sentencing, which if they had
been restricted to conventional courts would take over 200 years to complete.
The Gacaca courts also had the advantage of involving the community in the
trial and sentencing process. The Government believed that involving the
population in the trials could also contribute significantly to reconciliation.
In fact, testimonies from the general population helped survivors to discover
the corpses of the family members killed during the Genocide. Moreover,
some perpetrators demanded pardon from the survivors. In some places,
perpetrators and survivors were gathered in associations. On the debit side, the
Gacaca courts were criticised for corrupt judges and lack of lawyers commonly
used in modern judicial system.
The Government also made it a priority to strengthen the criminal justice
system. Special training was provided to magistrates and judges, while courts
around the country were renovated. A national police force was created and
charged with civil security matters and criminal investigations.
2.1.3 The achievements of the Government of Rwanda on social level
Assistance to the most vulnerable people
From the social point of view, the Government of National Unity faced with the
problem of assisting vulnerable people.
Almost all the Rwandan population that had survived Genocide and war was
described as vulnerable. With time, their numbers kept on reducing given the
situation which improved politically, socially and economically. The vulnerable
people included Rwandan refugees and repatriated displaced people, Genocide
survivors, single children and orphans, widows, people with disabilities, the
poor, HIV/AIDS victims and prisoners. Moreover, between November 1995
and February 1996, Rwanda hosted almost 37, 000 refugees including former
Burundi refugees and Kinyarwanda-speaking ones from Zaïre. In 2003, the
number of foreign refugees in Rwanda was estimated at 300, 000 persons. Only
35, 000 refugees remained in Rwanda at the end of 2003.
The survivors of Genocide were part of the most important vulnerable groups
in the country. The Government handled them as a priority. In 1998, an
Assistance Fund for Genocide Survivors, - Fonds d’Assistance aux Rescapés
du Génocide (FARG) was set up. It was allocated 5% of the national budget.
This budget enabled FARG to solve a big part of its problems experienced by
vulnerable surviving children in the fields of primary, secondary and higher
education. The fund was also used to pay for health care. FARG also helped
vulnerable survivors to construct residential homes in regrouped villages
(imidugudu) and/or elsewhere. It was also used to repair their former
residences. FARG financed small projects to help survivors fight against poverty.
From 1994, the orphans and single-children received assistance of varied
nature. For some of them, houses were constructed; others were trained and
given supplies in reception centres. In this way, they received physical and
mental health-care, education and social integration facilities. Some of them
were able to reunite with members of their families.
The ministries which were dealing with social affairs performed the following
services: designing intervention programmes in favour of widows, providing
material assistance, conducting a census of raped and pregnant women, etc.
On the other hand, women victims of war and genocide set up associations
for mutual help. These actions produced tangible results. However, a big
number of them still suffered from the after-effects of war and genocide such
as traumatism. Among them we can state AVEGA AGAHOZO (Association desVeuves du Genocide du mois d`Avril), BAMPOREREZE, DUHOZANYE, etc…
Health promotion
Between 1994 and 2003, a particular focus was put on the improvement of
health infrastructure given the role that the latter plays in the improvement
of health. Some new hospitals were constructed, and old ones were constantly
rehabilitated or expanded. Several health centres were also constructed while
old ones were repaired gradually. In 1996 the majority of health facilities
started to provide both curative and preventive treatment.
National referral hospitals such as King Faisal Hospital, the Centre Hospitalier
de Kigali and the University Teaching Hospital of Butare were rehabilitated,
re-equipped and made operational. There were 25 district hospitals in the
country. Out of 279 health centres and dispensaries, 257 were reopened after
rehabilitating them with new equipment.
In 2000, Nyanza Hospital and Kimironko Health Centre were established. In
2001, there were 33 district hospitals and 40 health centres. The above districthospitals were coordinated by 11 regional health officials.
Health staff increased qualitatively and quantitatively. The National University
of Rwanda (NUR) Faculty of Medicine produced 1,999 general doctors.
Nonetheless, the Government resorted to foreign doctors from neighbouring
countries and even beyond to solve the problem of inadequate medical
personnel. Kigali Health Institute (KHI) also trained several medical assistants
at A1 level. The nursing section at secondary school also level produced nurses
of A2 level, whereas those in the social section trained and graduated social
workers.
The government policy of encouraging the people to participate in health
programmes was successful. The Rwandan Sickness Insurance Scheme,La
Rwandaise d’Assurance Maladie (RAMA) was established to ensure that
government civil servants get proper medical insurance coverage. It started
business in 2001.
Meritocracy and skills enhancement in education
The colonial and post-colonial administrations left Rwanda with one of the
lowest skilled populations in the sub-region. In addition to this, an “ethnic”
quota system for entry into secondary schools and the university made access
to education limited for sections of the population.
On entering office, the Government of National Unity immediately instituted
meritocracy in education system and measures were put in place to address
the country’s manpower incapacity. Since 1994, the number of higher learning
institutions kept increasing and were six in 2000. The total number of students
receiving higher education rose from 3,000 and was close to 7,000 in 2003. The
number of university graduates between 1963 and 1994 was 2,160. Between
1995 and 2000, a period of just five years, the Government of Rwanda produced
over 2,000 university graduates.
A former military college in the heart of Kigali was transformed into a modern
Institute of Science and Technology. The new Kigali Institute of Science and
Technology (KIST) was established in 1997 to provide technical, skill based
training to 2,500 full and part-time students.
The institute also hosted the African virtual University and conducted business
and entrepreneurship courses. Licenses and facilitation were granted to other
institutions and colleges to make more training opportunities available to the
population.
Similarly, from 1994 to 2000, the number of primary schools increased more
than one and a half times. The number of qualified teachers rose by 53%between 1994 and 2000. More resources were made available to build new
schools and to rehabilitate old ones. In addition, Government introduced
universal primary education, established education support institutions such
as the National Curriculum Development Centre, the General Inspectorate of
Education and Examinations Board.
The National Examination Council was introduced to ensure fairness,
transparency and uniformity in standards
Promotion of gender equality
Women had suffered due to war and the Genocide. One of the Government
and civil society priorities were to strengthen capacity building programmes
for women in all fields. In this regard, the Rwandan legislation which was
disadvantaging women was amended in order to give equal opportunities
to both men and women. The Government set up the National Commission
for Women’s Rights which played an important role in revising the law and
culture. Articles which disadvantaged women were removed. Similarly, women
organizations became very active. Hence, an association called PROFEMMES/
Twese Hamwe trained women and empowered them to take up roles in decision
making organs, justice etc….
In addition, laws on inheritance were reformulated. Furthermore, the gender
factor was integrated in all national policies on Rwanda’s long term development.
In political domain, the Government encouraged women to get involved in
decision making organs. This started from the first electoral campaigns of 1999,
2001 and 2003. For example, during the 2001 elections organized by district
and sector committees, almost 25% of the women were elected.
All categories of the Rwandan population took part in the process of drafting the
Rwandan constitution of 2003. This facilitated the inclusion of the gender factor
in the constitution. The 2003 Constitution of the Republic of Rwanda stipulates
that women shall occupy at least 30% of the decision making organs in the
country. The results of the 2003 elections showed that Rwanda was among the
first world countries with the most outstanding percentage of women in the
National Assembly.
2.1.3 The achievements of the Government of Rwanda on economic
level
Enhancing economic growth and development
Due to War and the Genocide, the country’s infrastructure was destroyed.
Between July 1994 and 2000, the Government of National Unity put in place
an emergency programme of reconstruction. In this regard, policies and
programmes of economic recovery and social welfare were put in place. For
instance, the Government designed first a programme of national reconciliation
and another one of rehabilitation and development. The latter was presented
during Geneva donors’ conference in January 1995. Its aims were the restoration
of the macro-economic framework of the country, capacity building, reinforcing
the participation of local investors and integration of refugees and displaced
people. In addition, the Government had to restore favourable conditions for
economic and social activities.
Almost 600 million US dollars was received by Rwanda for the period 1995-
1996 thanks to the Geneva donors’ conference. The international financial
contribution served not only to rehabilitate and repair the basic infrastructures
but also to increase agricultural activities. It also improved Rwanda’s balance
of payments. During the second conference held in June 1996, Rwanda
received 500 million US dollars for the second recovery programme called
Rehabilitation and recovery programme (1995-1998). The third programme
presented to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) was a
structural adjustment. It intended to stabilise the country’s macro-economic
performance to improve the balance of payments, controlling inflation, etc.
In June 1998, IMF (International Monetary Fund) approved Rwanda’s
application to achieve Reinforced Structural Adjustment Facility. In 1999, this
3 years programme was transformed into a ‘Facility for Poverty Reduction and
Growth’ (FPRG). It was supported with funds worth 413.3 million USD. Thus,
Rwanda embarked on its economic and social construction.
Even if some programmes and policies were conceived, it was from 2000 that the
Government of Rwanda started formulating long term policies. They included
Vision 2020 and the Strategic Plan for the Reduction of poverty (EDPRS) which
was published in June 2000. These two strategic programmes demonstrated
remarkable dynamism because they inspired subsequent policies which were
designed in all government sectors.
The Government immediately set out to create fiscal stability and economic
growth. Inflation was brought down from 64% in 1994 to fewer than 5% from
1998 up to 2000. In 1994, annual fiscal revenues were zero while in 2002 they
stood at nearly 70 billion of Rwandan Francs (frw). The economy grew steadily
at an average of 11%, while gross domestic incomes grew at an average of
14.3% per annum since 1995.
The process of privatisation of government enterprises started in 1996. Many
enterprises were put up for privatisation and shares were sold to local or foreign
investors. The government made it a priority to diversify Rwanda’s economic
base.
The Government of National Unity was committed to rebuilding, expanding
and improving the infrastructure of the country in order to facilitate
economic growth. Since 2003 new roads have been built and others have been
reconstructed to improve the road system.
Other efforts related to promote health conditions in residential houses
increased the availability of water and electricity. Up to 2001, only 2.4% of the
homes were connected to water supplied by ELECTROGAZ as opposed to 38.1%
homesteads which got water from natural wells. The poorest people fetched
water from rivers. The average distance between homes and water sources was
703 meters in 2001.
As for electricity, the number of ELECTROGAZ customers increased. It rose from
2% of the population in 1994 to 6% in 2002. In addition, there was a significant
difference in living standards between rural and urban dwellers.
Agriculture and animal husbandry
Ever since it took over power in July 1994, the Government of National Unity
focused its attention on boosting agricultural production. It sensitised the
population to embark on agriculture as soon as peace and security were
achieved. It distributed seeds, basic tools, pesticides, etc. to boost agriculture.
To curb the problem of famine and guarantee food security, government priority
identified the cultivation of the following crops: maize, rice, sorghum, beans
and, irish potatoes.
Rwanda’s economy heavily depended on the export of coffee and tea. The
evolution of quantitative production of coffee from 1994 to 2003 was achieved
unevenly. The new export crops on which the Government focused its attention
included flowers which started fetching foreign exchange to the Rwandan
economy. In short, agricultural production increased from 1994. Between 1995
and 2005, it multiplied twofold.
In the field of animal husbandry, government action since 1994 was bent on the
following: increasing the reproduction of animals in all regions of the country,
reopening of veterinary laboratories and research institutions in animal
technology, provision of veterinary medicines and the sensitization of farmers
to ensure an increase in animal production. In 1994 and 2003, the number of
domestic animals increased by almost five. Quantitatively, animal husbandry
also improved because big-sized animals and the number of cross-breedanimals increased though generally, a lot of improvement was still needed.
1. Describe the above picture. Explain what you think about the
above picture. How do you link it with the 1994 Genocide against
the Tutsi consequences?
2. Reading to analyse:
“Since Rwanda’s social cohesion had fractured due to the divisive politics
that preceded the Genocide, suspicion and mistrust characterized
relationships between Rwandans. Thus, the new government inherited a
a deeply scarred nation where trust within and between social groups had
been replaced by fear and betrayal”.
How do you link this text with the challenges faced by Rwandans after the1994 Genocide against the Tutsi?
2.2.1 Political challenges
Problems of insecurity
Although the RPF had captured the power and a transitional government had
been put in place, the security situation was still fluid, with former government
forces and Interahamwe militia still carrying out Genocide in various part of
the country.
A French buffer area in western Rwanda, known as Zone Turquoise had become
a safe haven for genocidal forces. In addition, infiltrators from refugee camps
across the border continued to cross and destabilise the country. The Rwandan
combatants and refugees located on the border of the current DRC became
a security threat which destabilised the hosting country and the interests of
several companies. Consequently, a campaign against Rwanda was organised
by the affected companies. It should be noted that the ex-FAR and Interahamwe
were allowed to keep their weapons and to join the civilian refugees. Other
sympathizers of the former regime continued to support combatants, notably
Zaïre (current DRC) under President Mobutu Sese Seko. All these proved to be
security challenges for a country that had been affected by one of the worst
human tragedies of the 20th century.
The Government of National Unity had to devise means to address insecurity
in the whole country so that Rwandans could begin the task of rebuilding the
nation.
Political and administrative vacuum
The Government of National Unity inherited a country without political
and administrative institutions, due to the chaos provoked by the Interim
Government. Most of civil servants were either killed or have left the country
and the political institutions were destroyed. In addition, during the period of
emergence, the Government faced the problems related to insufficient numbers
of civil servants, lack of equipment and motivation for civil servants because
they had neither salary nor accommodation, a judicial system that had come to
a standstill due to lack of adequate qualified personnel, cases of embezzlement
of public funds, districts without leadership (bourgmestres), and inexperienced
police force among others.Suspicion and mistrust among the Rwandan population
Since Rwanda’s social cohesion had fractured due to the divisive politics that
preceded the Genocide, suspicion and mistrust characterised relationships
between Rwandans. Thus, the new government inherited a deeply scarred
nation where trust within and between social groups had been replaced by fear
and betrayal.
This lack of trust between people posed a serious challenge to the functioning
of institutions because the vision of the Government of National Unity was not
shared by all stakeholders. In spite of all this, the Government of National Unity
believed that Rwanda was not dead but that it could be reborn and re-built.
To reach that goal, the Government of National Unity advocated strongly for
unity and reconciliation despite the enormous challenges.
Broken judicial system
The Government of National Unity inherited a broken justice sector. More
than 140, 000 genocide suspects had been arrested yet there was insufficient
prison infrastructure to host them. Their detention became a huge challenge in
terms of feeding, and provision of medical and other services. In the same vein,
there was inadequate number of trained lawyers to handle the large number
of perpetrators of Genocide and this shortage of judges was also true for other
crimes that were being committed in the country. For example, according to
records of the Supreme Court, out of 702 judges in 2003, only 74 possessed a
bachelor’s degree in law.
Laws were also outdated, obscure and inadequate. For example, there was no
law on the planning and execution of Genocide. Nonetheless, justice had to be
delivered. Despite meagre resources that were available, the government had
to operate reforms and introduce new judicial institutions to deal with all these
challenges.
2.2.2. Social challenges
Lack of shelter for refugees and other vulnerable people
The Government of National Unity strived to restore Rwanda as a country for all
Rwandans and provide a homeland for millions of Rwandan refugees. Tens of
thousands of internally displaced people, especially Genocide survivors whose
houses had been destroyed, were looking for housing facilities. About three
million Rwandan refugees taken as hostage by the defeated genocidal forces
in current DRC and some in Tanzania and Burundi were brought back home bythe Transitional Government.
This humanitarian exercise was largely successful despite the failure of the
international community to address their plight in refugees’ camps. A big
number of older refugees (from 1959 and subsequent years) came back also in
their country. All these categories of the needy people were looking for houses.
A bleak health sector
In the health sector, the picture was equally bleak. This sector was weak in
Rwanda. The personnel in health services were few and poorly trained. This
was a result of chronically poor human resource development strategies that
characterised colonial and post-colonial Rwanda. On one hand, this situation
was greatly exacerbated by the Genocide in which several health personnel had
either participated in or had fled the country. On the other hand, some health
workers had been killed. Few refugees that had returned from exile settled in
Kigali.
The capital city attracted health personnel because it had some infrastructures
and was also safer to live in.
To mitigate the health crisis, a number of NGOs and the army came in and tried
to make a difference, but the task was overwhelming since the number of the
injured and the patients was very high. Statistics indicate that immunisation
coverage for children had decreased as a result of war and mismanagement.
Malnutrition levels were also very high. Child as well as maternal mortality
rates were equally high due to poor health service delivery.
The prevalence of water-borne diseases and other conditions related to poor
sanitation was among the highest in Africa at that time. The high infection
rate of transmittable diseases, especially HIV and AIDS was equally high. This
pandemic disease had worsened during the Genocide because rape was used
as a war weapon.
The situation worsened due to a good number of traumatized people and high
fertility rate coupled with ignorance. Malaria was hyper endemic in some parts
of the country, especially in the eastern and southern provinces.
A selective education system
During the genocide against the Tutsi, most education infrastructure was
destroyed and the human capital almost decimated.
The education system was poor and did not respond to the socio-economic
needs of the country. Few educated Rwandans could not translate theirknowledge into productive activities to improve the standard of living of the
Rwandan people. For instance, in the eastern part of the country, schools were
not only few and scattered, but in some areas they did not exist at all. Higher
education was not only quantitatively low but was also a privilege of the few
favoured by the quota system. For example, in the period between 1963 and
1994, only about 2000 Rwandans had completed tertiary education.
2.2.3 Economic challenges
The Rwandan economy and political situation before 1994 were marked
by economic stagnation and high levels of poverty, mainly attributed to lack
of vision and poor economic planning, mismanagement, embezzlement,
corruption by the leadership of the time.
As a result, post Genocide Rwanda faced a number of economic challenges
including an unstable macroeconomic environment. For example, in 1994, the
economy shrank by 50 % and inflation rose to 64 %. Between 1985 and 1994,
the GDP (Gross Domestic Production) growth rate was a mere 2.2% against a
population growth rate of 3.2%, meaning there was an annual decline of-1% of
per capita GDP.
These challenges were mainly due to the fact that the economy was characterised
by low productivity in all sectors, but most especially in agriculture.
Yet more than 90% of the population depended for their livelihood on
agriculture. This situation resulted in a very weak export base coupled with a
narrow revenue collection. It implied internally generated resources or external
aid to fund social services like education and health.
In addition, there was low private investment. As a result, the country lacked
a serious and vibrant private sector to drive economic growth. In the public
sector too, there was a high unskilled labour force. For example, in 1994, at
least 79% of civil servants in the country had not done tertiary education.
To make matters worse, skilled professionals had been particularly either
targeted in the Genocide or had fled the country. In brief, the Government of
National Unity inherited an economy completely destroyed by the Genocide
and mismanagement over three decades.
Agriculture was the key economic sector for Rwanda because it employed more
than 90% of the population. However, despite this fact, its output continued tobe poor because the techniques of production were still rudimentary with the
use of the hand-hoe as the primary tool, lack of or inadequate use of fertiliser,
poor training of farmers in terms of technological use and poor soils emanating
from over cultivation and overpopulation.
Rwanda’s agriculture suffered from structural and fluctuating problems. For
example, Rwanda’s soils depended entirely on rains because 1.64 % of this soil
was under irrigation and only 1.2% was cultivated. This showed that Rwanda’s
agriculture depended on unpredictable climatic changes. In addition, soil
erosion affected more than 20% of the national territory. A fraction of
the Rwandan population still suffered from food insecurity and malnutrition.
Price fluctuation of exported products was also another problem whenever the
agricultural prices fell. Although agricultural production increased from 1994,
food availability per capita per year was on the decline.
Farming and animal husbandry activities needed agricultural space. However,
the Rwandan soil suffered from demographic pressure and physical degradation.
It was overexploited because of high population density. Rwanda’s inheritance
system of family land transfers also led to land fragmentation. On average,
the size of owned cultivable land by a household was 0.72 ha, although there
were differences at regional level. Hence, land fertility reduced gradually. Soil
erosion affected a big portion of this land and anti-erosion techniques were
not yet widespread on the entire territory. Other behaviours contributed to
aggravate the soil situation. For example, overgrazing, bush burning practices,
irresponsible deforestation, un-reasonable exploitation of marshlands by brickmakers and the extraction of sand along valleys.
Unit Summary
Throughout the whole unit, emphasis has been put to achievements of Rwanda
government after Rwanda government after the 1994 genocide against the
Tutsi. . Attention has been given to challenges caused by genocide and genuine
solutions found to overcome the tragedy consequences. It has been highlighted
that measures taken rank the country in well and organized one world widely
and serve as a model in Africa. However, more initiatives needs to be achieved,
like it has been proved that the country lacked a serious and vibrant private
sector to drive economic growth. In the public sector too, there is still low level
skilled labour force to prompt the economic vibrant progresses to a higher level.