Members of Parliament (MPs) have raised concerns over several districts that lost lawsuits filed by their employees. The districts of Nyaruguru, Nyamagabe, Rusizi, and Rubavu were ordered to pay over 38 million Rwandan Francs in damages.
On December 23, 2024, MPs met with the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC) and local government leaders. They discussed how to avoid future legal issues and financial losses for the government.
Deputy Christine Mukabunani, Vice-President of the Parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs, said these districts lost cases involving employees. In total, the districts were fined 38.8 million RWF, including Rwf.6.5 million for compensation and Rwf.32 million for violating employee rights.
Rubavu Mayor Mulindwa Prosper explained that these issues happened in 2021/2022 but have since been resolved. One case involved a teacher hired from the waiting list, even though they were unqualified. When the time came to pay the teacher, the necessary paperwork was missing, and they were not compensated. The court ruled that the district must pay the unpaid salary. The person responsible for the mistake was fired and ordered to pay Rwf.700,000 in damages.
Mulindwa also shared another case where an employee hired to conduct land surveys failed to submit a report. The employee wasn’t paid, and the district lost the case. They were ordered to pay the full salary and Rwf.720,000 in compensation.
Hildebrand Niyomwungeri, the Mayor of Nyamagabe, spoke about an employee who sued the district and won Rwf.620,000 in compensation. He promised that the district would investigate and try to recover the money from the responsible party.
In Nyaruguru, Mayor Murwanashyaka Emmanuel said the district lost a case but later won an appeal. He added that the district is now taking steps to avoid such issues in the future.
In Rusizi, Deputy Mayor Uwimana Monique explained a case where an employee sued after the district stopped paying his car loan allowance. The district lost the case, and they are now investigating how to recover the money.
Hon. Uwamariye Veneranda, President of the Parliamentary Committee on Social Affairs, urged local government institutions to follow the law carefully to avoid costly mistakes. She said when the law is followed, employees are paid their rights, and the government avoids unnecessary losses.
Gakire Bob, Permanent Secretary at MINALOC, acknowledged the challenges in managing employees at the local level. He stressed the need for better training and skills to prevent legal issues in the future.
Angelina Muganza, Executive Secretary of the Public Service Commission, advised local leaders to ensure every employee knows their duties and follows them carefully. This will help avoid mistakes that could lead to costly consequences for the government.
The National Public Service Commission (NPSC) report showed that 27.13% of employee appeals were valid. Districts and the City of Kigali accounted for 18.8% of these cases.
