General Studies and Communication Skills

Discuss and answer the following questions.

1. Find out the meaning of the term democracy.

2. Does your school allow room for democracy?

3. Give the pros and cons of democracy in schools.

4. Describe how Rwandan citizens participate in democracy in the country.

5. Look at the pictures on page 32 and answer the questions that follow.

a) From the above pictures, which ones depict the meaning of democracy?

b) Give reasons why you think the pictures depict the meaning of democracy.

c) Explain why you think some pictures do not depict the true meaning of democracy.

The word democracy originated from two Greek words “Demos” and “Cratia” which respectively translate to “people” and “power”. Democracy is defined as a form of government where power ultimately rests with the people. The following people defined democracy as

:‘A government in which everyone has a share Seeley. A form of government in which the ruling power of a state is largely vested, not in any particular class or classes, but in the members of the community as a whole’ Lord Bryce.‘A government of the people, for the people and by the people Abraham Lincoln.

1. Research and find out countries that are democratic and those that are undemocratic in Africa and the world. Give reasons to support your answers.

2. Find out the pros of living in countries that are democratic and cons of living in those that are undemocratic.

3. Find out personalities in the world who have fought for democracy in their countries.

4. Write a brief history of one such personality you have named in (3) above.

There are three main aspects of democracy, that is, political, social and economic. Politically, the government is based on people’s consent. Socially, it increases and recognises the worth of human dignity. Economically, it aims to provide equal opportunities to all citizens and to eliminate exploitation of the people. For democracy to flourish, the following requirements should be put in place:

• being conscious of political rights and duties

• solidarity among the citizenry

• spirit of peaceful coexistence among the people

• opportunity for individuals to develop their full potential

• active participation of citizens in the affairs of the state

• adequate education of the citizens about public affairs.

Research and answer the following questions.

1. Identify the diff erent types of democracy. Give an explanation for each.

2. Cite examples where each type of democracy is practised in the world.

There are two types of democracy, that is, direct (pure or participatory) democracy and indirect (representative) democracy. In direct democracy, citizens directly run the affairs of their government. Whenever a need arises, the citizens are called upon to formulate and express the will of the state. Direct democracy can only be exercised in areas with few people. However, direct democracy is practised during a referendum or recall of elected representatives.

1. Discuss scenarios where direct democracy has been practised in Rwanda.

2. Role-play two incidences in class showing direct democracy and indirect democracy at school.

Indirect democracy is practised in many states in the world where citizens elect representatives who make decisions or laws that govern them on their behalf. It is restricted to the act of voting for their preferred representatives at periodic intervals during elections. Th is makes the process brief and infrequent. Th e elected representatives rule on behalf of the citizenry. However, citizens can change their elected representatives at will.

1. Conduct research on the merits and demerits of each of the two types of democracy. Make a class presentation of your findings.

2. Read the following speech excerpts from the 44th president of the USA, Barack Obama.

From the above statements,

a) Comment on how democracy has been practised in Africa and in Rwanda in particular.

b) In your own opinion, how true are the speech excerpts in regards to democracy in Africa.

3. Debate the motion, ‘Democracy is the best form of government’.

1. Find out the meaning of good governance.

2. Describe the achievements the government of Rwanda has made to improve good governance in service delivery.

Good governance is a term used to describe how public institutions conduct their affairs in the management of their activities and resources. It should be witnessed in all types of governance; public, state, corporate and global. Governance analyses ‘what is’ and good governance analyses ‘what ought to be’. Therefore, individuals entrusted with responsibilities should be held responsible and accountable for ethical and moral consequences of their actions.

Promotion of good governance in a country involves three key actors. They are the public/state sector, private/corporate sector and the civil society organisations. Ultimately, good governance seeks to promote the wellbeing of the citizenry. It includes tackling a wide range of issues such as the following:

• Attempts at eliminating poverty

• Stakeholder engagement

• Transparency and accountability

• Th e equity and equality agenda (gender, ethnic, race, age, ability, religion)

• Ethical, honest behaviour and absence of corruption (moral governance)

• Sustainability, effectiveness and predictability

• Legitimacy

• Fulfilling peoples’ basic needs

• Respect for Human Rights and the rule of law

• Participation in democratic elections and nation building activities

• Judicial independence from other arms of government

• Effective utilisation of public resources (sound financial management)

• Democratic pluralism

• Strategic vision of leaders

1. Assess issues that the government of Rwanda has addressed towards achieving good governance.

2. Discuss challenges facing good governance in our country today.

3. Identify possible solutions to the challenges discussed in question (2) above.

4. Relate the practice of good governance in the country towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In the world today, good governance goes hand in hand with information and communication technology (ICT). Governments should put in place the necessary infrastructure, develop and nurture the necessary human resources and provide adequate financial resources. The Rwandan government has made major strides towards achieving this. In most of its operations, it has adopted e-governance. Government services are easier to access through an online platform locally known as irembo. This has greatly improved service delivery which enhances good governance.

       

Answer the following questions.

1. Examine the importance of e-governance towards service delivery and good governance in the country.

2. Assess the impact of e-governance in reducing corruption and impunity in the country.

3. Assess the role of the private sector and civil society organisations in the promotion of good governance in Rwanda.

4. Identify the kind of services available to the people of Rwanda on Irembo.

State governance comes in various forms such as environmental, regulatory, participatory and neo-liberal governance of states. Various actors in state governance include; the government, intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations, private sector and civil society organisations. The government is the main actor of state governance.

Research and answer the following questions.

1. Discuss the roles of various actors of state governance in Rwanda.

2. Explain the challenges faced by state actors, identified in question (1) above, while discharging their duties.

3. How can the challenges in question (2) above be overcome?

4. Appreciate the role of various state actors in the society.

The government executes its responsibilities guided by the principles and provisions of the constitution. The constitution gives leaders the mandate to discharge their responsibilities. It also expects them to obey the rule of law and serve the citizenry. Governments are based on a structure taking the form of three powers. That is the legislature, judiciary and executive. Each arm of government enjoys distinct power which enables decentralisation of government services to the people. It also gives room for checks and balances between the three arms of government. This enables the government to uphold accountability and transparency in its day-to-day operations.

Some countries have both national and local governments. In such situations, the two levels of government operate in the spirit of interdependency and complementarity. Th is is the position in most countries. The principle of separation of powers enables the government to function smoothly. The following are advantages of having the three powers of government.

• It makes coordination and administration easy.

• Facilitates division of labour and reduces concentration of power in a single arm.

• Reduces or eliminates the possibility of abuse of power.

• Enhances efficiency and smooth functioning of the government.

• Promotes the principle of checks and balances.

• Engenders transparency and accountability in the operations of government.

• Provides quality service to the people.

• Eliminates or reduces incidences of corruption in the management of public affairs.

In Rwanda, the legislative power is vested in Parliament that consists of two chambers, that is, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Parliament debates and passes laws. The executive power is vested in the President and the Cabinet. The Cabinet implements government policies. The judicial power is vested in the Supreme Court and other courts established by the constitution and other laws. The three branches are separate and independent from each other but are all complementary.