From 26 to 30 January 2026, the Office of the Ombudsman, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government (MINALOC), conducted an outreach visit to Nyamasheke District as part of the ongoing program to prevent and combat injustice and corruption. The activity was carried out across all 15 sectors of Nyamasheke District.

The program begins with awareness sessions that explain the mandate of the Office of the Ombudsman to prevent and combat injustice and corruption, the role of citizens in this effort, the importance of reporting corruption, and the benefits of resolving disputes through alternative mechanisms rather than relying solely on courts. After these awareness sessions, citizens have the opportunity to present cases that other institutions have not resolved.

Following the outreach activities, leaders convene to review the overall situation of the issues raised by citizens in order to determine appropriate solutions.

This initiative aimed at preventing injustice and corruption in districts is highly appreciated by citizens, particularly those who bring forward unresolved cases from other institutions and see them addressed promptly.

One beneficiary of the program from Kanjongo Sector in Nyamasheke District testified:

“I had a problem concerning my child, who was born in 1993. When the time came for him to obtain a national ID, he was photographed, and we began requesting the ID, but we never received it. For more than five years, we kept following up without success. This situation affected him, including difficulties accessing healthcare. I appreciate the leadership that came closer to us and the Office of the Ombudsman for intervening in this issue. I have now been informed that I can collect the ID tomorrow because it has finally been issued. I am very happy.”

During the program, leaders urged citizens to understand how decentralized institutions operate, while also calling upon local leaders to ensure that citizens receive efficient and timely services.

The Deputy Ombudsman in charge of Preventing and Fighting Injustice, Odette Yankulije, noted:

“Among the cases we received during this program, many are related to citizens’ welfare. However, some issues are linked to mindset. For example, there are cases where a citizen asks for government assistance because their house is in poor condition, yet they have grown children who are married and financially capable. We call upon leaders to educate citizens and remind grown children that taking care of their parents is their responsibility and should not be neglected.”

The Chief Ombudsman, Madeleine Nirere, urged local government leaders to address citizens’ issues promptly and provide services on time, noting that some cases received during the program have remained unresolved for more than 30 years.

She stated:

“You may find a citizen with a court case that has lasted for 40 years. In some cases, the person has not been properly informed about how their case should be resolved. In other cases, they have not received the assistance needed to conclude it. However, there are also instances where a citizen refuses to accept decisions taken by competent authorities. What we request is that local leaders who are closest to citizens establish effective mechanisms that provide quality and timely services, so that citizens’ problems do not persist for such long periods. Our national vision is to place the citizen at the center, but citizens should also accept decisions made by competent authorities.”

Overall, the Office of the Ombudsman, in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and the leadership of Nyamasheke District, received 283 complaints from citizens.

Out of these, 105 cases were resolved immediately, while 178 cases were provided with clear guidance and are expected to be resolved within a period not exceeding 30 days.

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