The role of citizens‟ participation in local economic development can be located in centralised approach to localised or lower structures of government and have been employed by Rwanda for promotion of good governance, service delivery and aligning development to citizen‟s needs. However, success of this approach has been generalised but actual benefits has not fully been documented. Three objectives guided the study; to assess the degree to which citizens has access to existing forums for citizens‟ participation in planning process; to explore the role of citizens‟ participation in planning for local development; to explore the role of citizens‟ participation in planning process and local government performance contracts. The study was anchored on the theory of Group Behaviour theory and Empowerment Theory. Descriptive research design was applied in the study with study area as Gasabo district. Both secondary and primary data sources were utilized. A questionnaire was employed to collect primary data and secondary data drawn from library sources, books, e-books, government policies and other publications. Findings indicated that Rwanda adopted centralized system of governance and the role of citizen‟s participation in planning helps the government to align policies and development programs with citizen needs. The study concluded that to citizen involvement contributed to increase of revenue collection. The study confirms that participation in performance contracts improves efficiency and guarantees translation plans into results on grounds. The study demonstrated participation of citizens monitoring and evaluation improved accountability, transparency and proper management of public funds. The study also identified disconnection in communication at various levels of administrative entities which affect effectiveness of citizens‟ participation. Finally, it was evident from the study that citizen participation improves their ownership and social equity. The study recommended the government to establish suitable and affordable communication mechanisms to facilitate consultations with citizens. Finally, recommended future research to conduct an impact assessment to ascertain benefits in quantitative terms as result of citizens‟ participation.

Land expropriation rationalized through a development discourse keeps citizens from realizing that expropriation can as well abrogate private ownership of land. The law guiding expropriation proposes that expropriation be carried out against just compensation to indemnify costs incurred by affected citizens; but just compensation has minimal enforceability on the ground. The research has shown that compensation is not always on the same footing as the market prices. This study aimed to understand the household development benefits of land expropriation for commercial agriculture. Based on the review of literature on process of expropriation, how citizens appreciate such process and on effect of expropriation on socioeconomic development of citizens, document analysis, focus group discussion, interview and a survey were used to collect data. Respondents were purposively selected. Analysis of the responses demonstrated an interconnection among processes of expropriation and associated those processes to socioeconomic development of expropriated citizens. The results indicate that the benefits of expropriation outweigh damages incurred by the expropriated citizens. The results indicate as well that when citizens participate in expropriation process, it reduces conflicts related to valuation and compensation. The results show that improper valuation and compensation hinder socioeconomic development of the expropriated citizens. On this basis, it is recommended that expropriating agencies engage actively citizens subject to the expropriation and carry expropriation on agreed upon valuation methods in order to avoid grievances which result from unjust compensation.

The study entitled “Assessment of women Recruitment in Rwandan public institutions. The case study of Nyanza District”, was carried out in the Nyanza district public institutions, in southern province. The aim of this study was to assess how recruitment is conducted in Nyanza district in respect to equal access on both men and women particularly in public institutions, the process in which recruitment is conducted up to the job appointment. The research got information from different sources using different methods. The study used qualitative approach, and the research was conducted on the sample size of 45 respondents, where they were approached respectively to both sexes. The tools used in collecting data include interviews, questionnaires, focus group discussions and documentation. The findings of this study showed that despite different policies and laws that establish how recruitment have to be done, there is inequality of both men and women in recruitment in Rwandan public sectors especially in Nyanza sectors. Among the respondents asked 75% of them both men and women showed ineffective recruitment in Nyanza district. It has shown that in public institution 89% are men while women took the rest especially in low wages positions. Women stated that the causes of this imbalance among them are stereotypes used on them, corruption and nepotisms that lead to rejection of some candidates‟ sheets. On the respondents asked 90% of them stated that most of unfair activities start from written exams and interview, whereby they have total access to manipulate. The first steps of recruitment, which done online, is done in respect of the principles of equality; however the rest stages of the recruitment process do not consider the laws and order, this is where they are cheated. Despite the use of the electronic methods of recruitment, some recruitment stages are operated out of the electronic systems, which create a room for discrimination and corruption. Therefore, the recommendations and suggestions were stated to the government of Rwanda, Huye district and further researchers to increase the taking attention to the effectiveness on recruitment process.

This study aims at investigating into the practical challenges faced by novice interpreters in Rwanda while interpreting scientific discourses from English into French and other way around. It also intends to explore the causes of these challenges and tout for solutions to improve novice interpreters‘ performance. In order to achieve the purpose of this study, the researcher used a combination of three instruments for data collection. The first was informal questionnaires with targeted questions; the second was interviews using ―open-ended‖ questions, while the third was recordings out of the scientific discourses interpreted by novice interpreters. In order to achieve the research objectives, each interview was geared towards probing into various practical difficulties through questionnaires administered to people currently practicing the interpreting profession to express their views, opinions, insights, observation and suggestions that could ease such difficulties. The researcher selected a sample of thirty-five (35) simultaneous conference interpreters, among who twenty (20) were experienced interpreters who had been then practicing the interpreting profession for more than ten (10) years, and fifteen (15) novices who were new practitioners with less than six (6) years of experience in the field. Others were students enrolled in the MATI program in the College of Arts and Social Studies for the academic year 2018 to 2020. The outcome of the study revealed that interpreting performance of novice conference interpreters is seriously affected by different types of challenges when interpreting in scientific discourses. These difficulties are mostly attributed to lack of knowledge and specialized skills in interpreting scientific matters, lack of linguistic and extra-linguistic skills, lack of specialized terminologies and scientific vocabularies, lack of regular interpreting practice leading novice interpreters‘ failure to professionally perform, lack of equivalence for specific terms, lack of listening capacity, lack of working memory efforts, lack prior knowledge of the subject matter and above all, lack of production efforts. The study appealed for the need to having professional and experienced interpreters who are specialized in various scientific disciplines to handle interpreting of scientific discourses.

The present research was about NEP and unemployment alleviation in Rulindo district. Specific objectives of the research were: to assess the enrollment situation among youths and women in NEP activities; to assess the situation of employment among youths and women who graduated from NEP; and it to assess challenges of accessing and creating jobs among youths and women graduated from NEP in Rulindo District. The research used a sample population of 97 respondents over 3131 population of graduated in 2015 as the following: 28 graduated from TVET (3 years of training); 40 graduated from VTC (1 year training); 21 graduated from RRT and 8 graduated from IBT. The research used a mix of quantitative and qualitative approaches where numerical data was collected using questionnaire and non- numerical data was collected through interview and observation. The research found that youths and women enrollments in NEP activities are interesting except for BDAs and BDF where statistical data related to beneficiaries were respectively not available and kept confidential. Among graduated, 67% work for pay; 25% are still unemployed and only 8% started- up their own businesses which are too small that the majority earn between 21,000 and 30,000 Frw. The most challenging issue to access jobs include: Lack of experience to be employed in big companies (mean = 3.98); Skills mismatch (mean = 3.95); Rural area conditions with limited number of companies (mean = 3.86); and Predominance of sole traders Companies limiting access to jobs (mean = 3.72). Challenging issue to start- up businesses include: Incapacity to access start- up toolkit (mean = 3.97); Lack of collaterals and guarantee to access the loan (mean = 3.92); Lack of experience in doing business (mean = 3.76); Fear to failure (mean = 3.15); Limited purchasing power due to rural economic conditions (mean = 3.32); poor infrastructure (electricity, roads) (mean= 3.79); and High cost of transport system in rural area (mean = 3.93). The research recommends WDA to review the curricula for TVET Rulindo and adapt them to the context of Rulindo where the needs are more oriented in mining and quarrying; manufacturing; and to develop follow- up system for accompanying graduates from TVETs/ VTCs through providing additional at- work trainings and seminars. The research recommends also the Government to o increase the budget allocated to grant scheme whereby graduates from TVETs, RRT and IBT will be empowered running their own businesses and so reduce the level of unemployment in youths and women.

The purpose of this study was to assess the contribution of good governance in Rwanda, a comparison of government strategies on community development of the 1980’s and 2020’s. The specific objectives of this work were to ascertain the components of Good Governance in Ruhango District; to assess the impact of good governance on community development of 1980’s and 2020’s and to identify the barriers that affect Good Governance in Ruhango District. The comparative study adopted the quantitative research methodology employing a cross sectional research design which dealt with numeric-based, large quantity of data, surveys, questionnaires, and structured quantifiable data and based on hard data. Results of this work were mainly based on the data collected by questionnaires and the total population of this study is estimated at 319 885 people in Ruhango district from which a sample of 96 respondents was drawn by using random sampling technique. Data analysis was based on descriptive study and the researcher tabulated the responses. The findings of the study revealed that Good Governance of 2020s has contributed to the community development in Ruhango District with the indicators of development like construction of schools, hospitals, road, water sanitation, modern markets, small projects and modern agriculture rather than governance of 1980’s where those indicators were ranked on low level. After doing a deep analysis on comparison of governance strategies of 1980’s and in the 2020’s via the respondents’ views, the research findings conclude that there was a clear difference. Therefore, community development was also at different level. For these reasons, the researcher suggests that the government should reconsider the 30% quota for women in political leadership and decision-making based in their competencies. Government should continue to facilitating a meaningful dialogue between government and the civil society and the people especially through the Open Government Initiative (OGI) address critical national issues.

The research study was conducted in an agricultural cooperative based in Gisagara District, Mamba sector. That cooperative is called KOJYAMUGI which means Koperative Jyambere Muhinzi Gisagara. The aim of this study was to assess the cooperative principles application in agricultural cooperatives in Gisagara District, their effectiveness and the contribution to the welfare of the members. Therefore, the researcher aimed at assessing the following specific objectives: to appraise the current perceptions of membership, board of directors and management on the cooperative principles application within agricultural cooperatives; to assess effectiveness of agricultural cooperatives as far as cooperatives principles are concerned; and to provide the contribution of agricultural cooperatives to the welfare of its members. The research served qualitative and quantitative approaches with 70 respondents composed of 65 of cooperative members and 5 of leaders, Board of Directors and Management of the cooperative. Findings show that more than 85% of respondents confirm that the cooperative serves its members effectively and strengthen the cooperative movement by working together and applying cooperative principles. Also 86.2% of respondents have testified that the cooperative principles are effective. Findings point out that the cooperative applies cooperative principles based on One-Sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov Test: the p-value is .000, inferior to .05, to mean that there is no reason to doubt that cooperative principles application and effectiveness in KOJYAMUGI Cooperative distribution is normal. Thus principles of cooperative were applied even though some of them remain a challenge such as the fifth cooperative principle of education, training and information and the sixth cooperative principle of cooperation among cooperatives. Findings show that cooperative has improved the welfare of members and has positively impacted on the welfare of its members. Also respondents have enumerated a number of benefits gained from the cooperative: a 78.5% increased agricultural production, a 52.3% increased in family household income, a 63.1% diversified income generating sources, a 89.2% have the ability to pay health insurance and health facilities, a 66.2% have changed the way of doing savings. A number of 67.7% has changed nutrition in the family and 78.5% have increased skills and practical knowledge in agricultural domains, a number of 47.7% has been able to find in improved shelter and housing while a number of 75.4% have gotten the ability to send children to school among others. The study finds that even though there is a good step forward, a number of challenges exists which may hamper the sustainable management of the cooperative such as lack of training to members, low skills of members in cooperative management, dishonest and mismanagement of resources by some leaders and climate change which avers to be the eminent problem; lack of accountability to both members and leaders, lack of effective communication and lack of commitment of Rwandan community due to absenteeism and participation in cooperative activities. Thus among major suggestions to achieve sustainable cooperative management and application of cooperative principles the cooperative and the government of Rwanda should incorporate training and education programs in order to offer capacity building to cooperative members.

The work entitled “the role of Administrative decentralization in promoting good governance case study: Runda sector, Kamonyi district” was conducted for assessing the validity of three specific objectives such as: to assess how administrative decentralization is implemented in Runda Sector; to evaluate the role made by implementation of administrative decentralization in promoting good governance in Runda sector, Kamonyi District; and to identify challenges facing administrative decentralization implementation and to good governance in Runda sector, Kamonyi District. This study is survey, descriptive, qualitative, and quantitative design. The study used both primary data and secondary data. 252 sampled heads of households in Runda sector (who have any position in local communities) and 9 local leaders (6 cells executives and 3 staffs from sector office) were visited and interviewed to obtain primary data. Data were collected using questionnaire, group interview and documentation. Analysis of data was performed using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Scientists) and results obtained were presented in form of descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. Assessment of the 1st study objectives resulted that, Administrative decentralization is well implemented in Runda sector where authorities respect laws, accept population participation, apply transparency (the lowest mean was 3.17 which falls in category and the highest mean is 4.21 which belong in category of very High Mean). For the 2nd objective assessment, the findings show that there are positive changes in governance brought by Administrative decentralization (the lowest mean was 2.87 which in category of not sure and the highest mean is 4.09 which is high category). While the assessment of the 3rd objective has identified several challenges where the dominant is lack of fund on local government level followed by inefficient communication while leaders fail to send explanative message to citizens. Based on the study findings, the researcher recommends local leaders to ensure that citizens are served equally, communicated to all government policies and plan on time and to work as possible to solve citizens’ complaints rather than transferring them except for these requiring high level decisions.

Around the countryside, people‘s economy has increased to the pleasant level of development. The government of Rwanda have established many developmental programs to lift poor people from vicious circle of poverty. The Integrated Graduation program has been established to reduce extreme poverty in Gisagara district. This program is used to reduce extreme poverty among the citizens who live in vicious circle of poverty in order to have good living condition. Different perspectives from some scholars highlighted how graduation program is like vehicle to poverty reduction and socioeconomic development of disadvantaged people. The objective of this study is to found out the role the Integrated Graduation Program in reduction of extreme poverty in Gisagara District; to analyze the impact of Integrated Graduation Program in economic development of community in Muganza sector. The research also wanted to find out how Integrated Graduation Program increased the livelihood of people in Muganza sector and to highlight obstacles that hinders the development of people in Muganza sector. The qualitative design used in this research, interview, focus group discussions and documentations were all used. Both primary and secondary data were conducted and the respondents were selected purposively. The data from respondents have shown that graduation program not only contribute to socio-economic development of citizens. The graduation provides cash transfers, assets transfers that helped beneficiaries to be able to access their needs. The participants appreciate the trainings offered on how to prepare nitrous food and different technique of farming. This give them opportunity own livestock either small or big animals that help them access to market and manure that increase agricultural production. However, the district still is one of the districts with big number of people in extreme poverty in Rwanda despite different graduation program implemented there. From this, it is recommended that the implementation of graduation program needs serious execution, follow up, audition and evaluation in both implementers and beneficiaries so that supports provided to them should be more effective. Moreover, the collaboration between government institutions and nongovernment agencies should be strong to ensure effectiveness and efficiency of the program.

Globally, 45% of more than two hundred million women every year get pregnant while they would desire not by the time or later. Unplanned and unwanted pregnancy affect negatively women not only physically and Psyche and the rate of unmet need for family planning has remained high in developing country especially Rwanda. This study aimed to examine the factors leading to unmet need for family planning in rural Rwanda, using Gisagara District as a case study. It was conducted in line with the three specific objectives: i. To determine family related factors potential to influence decision of not using Family Planning Methods among women living in Gisagara District, ii. To identify the factors related to the accessibility as determinants of unmet need for Family Planning among women of Gisagara District and, iii. To assess women’s socio-environmental factors leading to decisions of not using any method of family planning among women of Gisagara District. The present study was guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and used cross-sectional research design to collect information on women living experience. Purposive sampling was used to contact and collect information from people believed to hold information. The study findings revealed that among family related factors that lead women to not use FPM successfully, there is limited husband support, women’s own experience and heard information of Family Planning methods (FPM) side effects lead many women to have unmet need for FP. About contraceptive accessibility as determinants of unmet need for FP, even though women had access to information about FPM, they were not pleased by the loss of time and money accompanied by long line, absence of service providers and type of needed products. For socio-environment factors, religion, FPM users and friends, and aids provided to some women also discouraged some of them to use FP methods. The study concludes that among the factors influencing women not to use FPM successfully there is mainly limited involvement and participation of partners. Another main factor is misconception about FPM and contraceptives side effects. As recommendations, Government and all other partners have to work hands in hands and increase campaigns to teach women all about FPM and address the misconception. Also, government and non-governmental organizations should organize forums aiming to encourage men’s involvement and participation in FP with proper attitudes. In addition, families have to adopt FPM successfully for sustainable development.