Umuganda meeting

Umuganda meeting

Umuganda, or “Contribution”, is a mandatory community work day across the country of Rwanda for adults 18 to 65. On the last Saturday of each month, everything is closed or shutdown to permit people to conduct an act of service in their local community. It could be cleaning the streets, improving a washed out road or who knows what. A chairperson is approved by the government to oversee, direct and report on what is done. While the government is ensuring that a satisfactory process is in place, all decisions are meant to be locally driven. At the end of each work session, a meeting is held where people discuss local issues and recommend what should be done the following month.

This is a relatively new phenomenon in Rwanda (I heard two years old), but it is consistent with an active (some would say interventionist) government. Plastic bags are totally banned. Littering is a serious offence. The net result is a very clean country, which only adds to its natural beauty.

It’s hard to gauge how popular Umuganda is, but it was apparent that it was real. We have a great view from a hill overlooking Kigali and in a wide expanse I could see a total of two cars moving where there are normally many hundreds. Our day didn’t start until 11:45 and we saw many huddles of people obviously in a town hall style discussion.

Umuganda meeting in the countryside

Umuganda meeting in the countryside

We were told that crime rates are very low now (consistent with a Chinese or Dubai style of enforcement). At 4:00 pm, the army comes out for their 4 pm to 4 am shift and can be seen everywhere. My sense is that the people are very willing to have a strong government imposing a strict code to ensure cleanliness and safety after the Genonicide of 1994. Umuganda fits into the culture well with the emphasis on working together as a community, instead of being divided by old tribal hatreds.