Abstract
Rwandan cultural practice consisting of pledging to accomplish a specific task within a specific time frame, regardless of what challenge might arise. The concept with all its implications is one of the home-grown solutions which was institutionalised from 2006 to serve as a performance contract. The Imihigo system is designed so that every level of the Rwandan society, from the smallest unit (the household) is accountable for the implementation of national programmes. The main purpose of the research was to conceptually and contextually determine the nature and scope of Imihigo as a performance management mechanism with the aim to find out how Imihigo can be used to improve the effectiveness of results-oriented sustainable local development. The study was exploratory and conceptual in nature, and as a result adopted a purely qualitative research approach. The research method also entailed a documentary analysis of official Imihigo evaluations by way of a historical comparative analysis from 2011 to 2020. The triangulation of data-collection methods included primary sources (interviews) and secondary sources (literature and documentary sources). An important finding of the study was that this performance management practice has become a robust public management tool that accelerated socio-economic development and poverty reduction by promoting monitoring, efficiency, evaluation and accountability.
D.Litt. et Phil. (Public Management and Governance)