On Tuesday, 14th October 2025, the Citizen Participation in Planning and Budgeting Month was officially launched in Kibilizi Sector, Nyamagabe District. The initiative aims to gather citizens’ ideas and priorities for inclusion in the national and local government budgets for the 2026/2027 fiscal year.

The Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government, Kayisire Marie Solange, who officiated the launch, emphasized the importance of this month-long exercise in driving inclusive and sustainable national development. She noted that the initiative aligns with the National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and Vision 2050, both of which prioritize citizen-centered development.

“We urge everyone to actively participate in this exercise by proposing development projects they wish to see included in the national budget, and to complement these efforts through hard work and community ownership,” she said.

Speaking at the event, Nyamagabe District Mayor Niyomwungeri Hildebrand shared key achievements drawn from citizens’ ideas collected during the previous fiscal year. He highlighted that, through community-driven planning, 78 schools were constructed, three sector offices established, and electricity and water supply projects expanded to more households across the district.

According to the 2024 Citizen Report Card, citizen participation in planning scored 70.4%, and the government aims to raise this level of satisfaction to 90% by 2029, reinforcing Rwanda’s commitment to participatory governance and accountable development.