Every year, Rwandans from all walks of life gather for the National Dialogue Council commonly known as Umushyikirano.

Chaired by President Paul Kagame, Umushyikirano is one of the Home Grown Initiatives (HGIs). It is an event that gathers government officials, local leaders, members of the judiciary, parliamentarians, civil society representatives, the business community, and Rwandans abroad.

It serves as a special platform for open discussions, allowing citizens to ask questions, provide feedback, and evaluate the progress of resolutions made in the previous year's discussions.

Home Grown Initiatives are Rwanda’s ‘trade mark’ solutions built based on Rwandan history and culture. These policies are a direct response to economic and social challenges, and contribute to fulfilling the developmental vision of Rwanda.

The most extensive and transformative HGIs include Umuganda, Gacaca, Abunzi, Imihigo, Ubudehe, Itorero and Ingando, Umushyikirano, Umwiherero and Girinka.

During Umushyikirano, major decisions are made from ideas gathered from the public. Concepts like establishing Rwanda’s sovereign fund (Agaciro Development Fund), the one stop centre for investors, and many more were conceived from different sessions of Umushyikirano.

The significance of Umushyikirano lies in its roots as a citizen participation mechanism in post-genocide Rwanda.

Umushyikirano exhibits a unique model of democracy hinged on accountability and citizen’s involvement in Rwanda’s governance – a style that emerged from post-genocide consultations known as Urugwiro consultative meetings held from 1998 to 1999.

Positioning itself as an influential member of the world order and rejecting externally imposed solutions, Rwanda forged its path based on home grown solutions – culturally rooted practices translated into sustainable development programs.

The 2023 Umushyikirano focused on improving the lives of Rwandans, and it showcased tangible government action following a pandemic that ravaged the world from March 2020 to around early 2022, addressing agriculture, healthcare, electricity access, education, and industrial investments.

Prime Minister Edouard Ngirente emphasized the practical benefits of a growing economy for ordinary citizens. Despite its openness to citizen assessment, Rwanda faces criticism for allegedly lacking political space for dissenting voices, a claim deemed misinformed or malicious by proponents of the Umushyikirano model.

In addition, Umushyikirano serves as a mirror for collective introspection, with President Paul Kagame acknowledging achievements while pointing out shortcomings.

Umushyikirano is not merely a celebration of progress but an ongoing commitment to continuous improvement, aligning with the high standards set by Rwandans themselves.

Rwanda's rejection of conventional measures of progress challenges observers to rethink their assessments, emphasizing the importance of context-specific, culturally grounded approaches to governance.

The 2024 Umushyikirano will center around themes of national progress made in the last 30 years, unity as a pillar of the country’s development, and the empowerment of the country’s young people.

The discussions coincide with the concluding phase of the seven-year National Strategy for Transformation (NST1) spanning 2017 to 2024.

Enacted in 2017, NST1 outlined the government's strategies to achieve its economic development goals in line with the 2020 and 2050 visions. The strategy incorporated insights from past development plans, encompassing both successes and challenges encountered in earlier medium-term approaches.

Rwanda's new revolution, stemming from the Urugwiro meetings, stands as a testament to its commitment to democracy, collective well-being of Rwandans and servant leadership.

The international community would do well to take note of Umushyikirano as a model for inclusive dialogue, growth, and unity in a world seeking effective governance solutions.