September 22, 2021: The Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning in collaboration with CLADHO-an umbrella association of Human Rights Associations is disseminating the citizen’s guide to the budget for the Fiscal Year 2021-2022. This has been the practice since Fiscal Year 2009-10.

The citizen’s guide to the budget is a simplified booklet published in three languages aimed at elaborating to citizens in a basic way, how government mobilizes and allocates resources among national priorities agreed during the planning and budgeting processes.

The guide also provides feedback to citizens on their ideas and contributions provided during the planning process through different community dialogues and platforms. 

The guide is one of the mechanisms through which government holds itself accountable to the people on the use of public resources by increasing citizens’ understanding of the national planning and budgeting process that promotes their participation and feedback.

The preparation and dissemination of the citizen’s guide to the budget is in line with the principles of fiscal transparency and accountability which are part of the broader objective of the Government of Rwanda to enhance good governance.

 The citizen guide includes:
•    A summary of our economic outlook and the medium term budget strategy;
•    The FY 2021/22 national budget;
•    The budget process and how citizens participate;
•    Key policy measures and interventions for economic recovery as well as COVID-19 intervention actions;
•    Key strategic projects under different sectors;
•    Gender mainstreaming in the FY 2021-22 budget and
•    Links to budget documents and the role of different stakeholders. 

Grassroots leaders are urged to deliver the message contained therein to citizens by leveraging platforms currently available and ensure to get feedback that will inform the FY 2022-23 national planning and budgeting process.