The Chairperson of the Kayonza District Council has confirmed that the former Mayor of Kayonza, Nyemazi John Bosco, and his deputies were dismissed for failing to fulfil their responsibilities, including failing to provide timely information about the famine in Ndego.
News of the dismissal of these three leaders Nyemazi John Bosco, who was the District Mayor; Munganyinka Hope, the Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development; and Harelimana Jean Damascène, the Vice Mayor in charge of Social Welfare became public on the morning of December 7, 2025.
The information was confirmed by the President of the Kayonza District Council, Kalimba Doreen, in an interview with AGACIRO PRESS, affirmed that among the issues that led to the dismissal was the famine and the displacement of some residents in Ndego.
She added:
“As the District Council, an institution mandated to oversee governance, we observed several issues. As an autonomous organ, we realized that some citizens (in Ndego) did not receive the quality services they are entitled to by law, so we decided to relieve these leaders of their duties.”
On December 3, reports emerged through the media showing that Ndego was facing famine, forcing some residents to start relocating. Following this, a delegation visited the area, including the Minister of Local Government, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, the Minister of Trade and Industry, the Inspector General of Police, the Governor of the Eastern Province, members of the provincial security committee, and a representative from the national-level RIB.
The delegation first held a closed meeting at the provincial headquarters, after which they all boarded a single coaster bus and proceeded to Ndego, where they met with the then Mayor of Kayonza District, Nyemazi John Bosco.
Before this visit, several other teams had also gone to the affected residents, bringing food supplies and assessing the situation, including investigating why the problem had not been reported earlier.
After visiting Ndego, the delegation proceeded to other areas and discovered that the problem was not limited to Ndego alone—it was also affecting residents in Kabare, Rwinkwavu, and Mwili sectors.
Following their field visits, the delegation met with heads of departments from the Kayonza District and later held a high-level special meeting, where it is believed the decision to dismiss the district leaders was finalized.
A special District Council meeting held on December 7 at 9:00 AM, conducted virtually, officially approved the dismissal of the district leaders.
It is expected that in the coming days, the District Council will elect a new leadership to serve for the remainder of the term, which was due to end next year. Nyemazi John Bosco was elected Mayor in 2021. Harelimana Jean Damascène was in his second term, finishing it alongside Munganyinka Hope, who had completed two years of her first term and had been reappointed for a second term.
The District Council President, Kalimba Doreen, urged residents to report issues promptly, saying:
“We urge citizens to provide information on time. We also reassure them that several development projects are underway, including large-scale irrigation systems, which will help ensure food security and end this problem permanently.”
According to the 2025 Citizen Report Card by the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB), Kayonza District ranked last in service delivery satisfaction, scoring 67%, despite having been among the top three districts the previous year.
However, the district performed strongly in other areas, ranking first in national unity and reconciliation, and also leading the country in the 2025 national examinations for both primary and secondary schools.
