KIGALI — For years, Rwanda’s courts have been seen as a battleground not just for justice, but for trust itself. Long criticized for delays, opaque procedures, and occasional misconduct, the judiciary now finds itself asserting a bold narrative: that it can deliver justice efficiently—and free from corruption.
Chief Justice Domitilla Mukantaganzwa made her case during the opening of the nation’s 16th Anti-Corruption Week, a weeklong event held annually to spotlight transparency and accountability in public institutions.
Speaking at a joint press conference involving senior officials from RIB, Prosecution, Police and civil society, the Chief Justice painted a picture of a judiciary moving decisively from rhetoric to tangible service delivery.
“Justice must remain a right, not a transaction,” Mukantaganzwa said. “When courts operate effectively, citizens are neither tempted nor pressured to pay bribes for what is already their right.”
The theme of this year’s Anti-Corruption Week, running February 9–13, underscores her point: “Poor service creates opportunities for corruption. Speak out so we can fight it together.” It is a message that recognizes corruption as a shared problem, implicating not only officials but the systems and processes they operate within.
The Chief Justice singled out delays, poor communication, and procedural ambiguity as the main drivers of corruption, arguing that frustration and confusion can leave ordinary citizens vulnerable. To address these gaps, courts across Rwanda will open their doors on the final day of the week to receive complaints, provide clarifications, and demystify judicial procedures for the public.
Technological reforms are central to the judiciary’s strategy. The Integrated Electronic Case Management System (IECMS), she noted, reduces unnecessary personal contact between judges and litigants, standardizes case procedures, and narrows opportunities for illicit practices. Disciplinary measures, she added, remain a key deterrent: in 2024/2025 alone, 13 court officials were sanctioned for corruption, while between 2005 and 2025, 57 judges, registrars, and other staff were dismissed for misconduct.
Civil society has welcomed these reforms but continues to press for even greater transparency. Andrew Kananga, Executive Director of the Legal Aid Forum, recommended that all payments to court bailiffs be routed through official accounts and codified in law rather than left to administrative discretion.
Rwanda’s law enforcement agencies have been equally active. Between July 2022 and June 2025, the Rwanda Investigation Bureau (RIB) investigated 1,822 corruption-related cases, implicating 3,448 suspects and recovering significant assets. These efforts, the Chief Justice said, illustrate a judiciary increasingly willing to confront misconduct head-on.
The country’s progress is reflected in international metrics. Rwanda scored 64 out of 100 in Transparency International’s 2025 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), ranking 49th globally and among the least corrupt countries in Africa. The score, Mukantaganzwa suggested, is a reflection not only of enforcement but of the judiciary’s broader commitment to transparency and institutional reform.
Yet challenges remain. As the Chief Justice acknowledged, the fight against corruption requires more than legal measures or technology—it demands an engaged citizenry and vigilant institutions.
“We cannot achieve justice alone,” she said. “It requires the active participation of every institution, every official, and every citizen.”
In a country still healing from the trauma of its past, Rwanda’s courts are now attempting to redefine the public’s relationship with justice: from suspicion to trust, from transaction to right, from delay to timely resolution.
For Mukantaganzwa, the message is clear: in Rwanda, justice is meant to serve the people, not the pockets of the powerful.
