Despite Rwanda’s strong infrastructure progress, weak enforcement of environmental and social safeguards and limited citizen awareness and participation hinder effective public project implementation, contrary to Article 48 of the Constitution, which mandates all Rwandans to actively participate in national development.
From Gap to Action : TI-Rwanda’s CCC Initiative
To bridge that gap, since 2012 TI-Rwanda initiated an establishment of the structure entitled “Citizen Concerned Committees (CCCs)” as a community-based mechanism to enhance citizen participation and accountability. The establishment of CCCs is in line with Rwanda’s vision 2050 priorities regarding “ensuring efficient and accountable institutions for socioeconomic transformation.
Citizen Concerned Committees are voluntary, sector-level grassroots structures that serve as a bridge between citizens, local authorities and duty bearers. They amplify citizen voices, safeguard community interests, and promote transparency, integrity, and accountability in public service delivery, with particular attention to environmental protection and social welfare.
Democratic Selection for Stronger Accountability
Members of CCCs are elected through community assemblies (Inteko z’Abaturage) democratically, ensuring openness, inclusiveness, and close collaboration with district and sector authorities. This is a distinctive approach used by TI Rwanda in establishing CCCs, where members are elected by their peers. This enables communities to choose individuals they consider to have the commitment and capacity, and whom community members recognize as people who understand their challenges at the local level and are able to help find solutions.
The committees are expected to enhance citizen awareness, strengthen community participation, improve monitoring of public infrastructure projects, reduce corruption risks, and foster stronger collaboration between citizens, local authorities, and civil society actors.
Achievement Highlights
Initially, before the EU-funded “Alliances and Partnerships for Evidence-led Environmental and Social Safeguarding Accountability (APESA) Project, locally known as Ijwi Ryanjye mu Iterambere Rirambye (INTERA), 472 Citizen-Concerned Committee (CCC) members were present in 59 sectors across 11 districts (Huye, Nyamasheke, Rubavu, Musanze, Kayonza, Burera, Nyabihu, Nyamagabe, Kamonyi, Gicumbi and Nyaruguru).
Through APESA initiative, an additional 336 CCC members were successfully established in 42 new sectors in 11 districts (Ngoma, Kicukiro, Nyarugenge, Gatsibo, Muhanga, Ruhango, Rulindo, Rusizi, Rutsiro, Rwamagana and and Nyamasheke).
This brings the total number of CCC members to 808 in 101 sectors across 21 districts nationwide. Each CCC is composed of eight elected members representing women, men, youth, and persons with disabilities.