Meeting land Related Local Service Delivery Standards by Local Governments in Rwanda: Key Challenges and Practical Solutions

Abstract

Service delivery is considered as a strategic pillar of Governance in Rwanda. This article explores the mechanisms that were adopted to ensure timely delivery of land related services in local government and highlights the existing policy, institutional and regulatory framework for service delivery in general, and land related services in particular. In addition, the article analyses in details land related service delivery implementation at the local government level and the role of stakeholders and sub district entities in the delivery of these services. It highlights how decentralization has enabled service delivery in Rwanda and how land related services quality and timeliness were improved. Capacity building has been a key enabler of improved services and various efforts have been deployed in this area both at the institutional and individual levels. Home grown initiatives from the Rwandan culture were useful in improving the delivery of services including land related services as evidenced by this article. In order to sustain and guide service delivery in the land sector, service standards coupled with the use of Information Technology have been of paramount importance in improving service delivery. The article concludes by discussing challenges to meeting service delivery standards in Rwandan local governments and the proposed remedial measures.