Auditor General Biraro’s Departing Shot – Regime Can’t Account for US$284.9 Million of Taxpayers’s Assets

Rwanda's Auditor-General Obadiah Biraro. PHOTO | CYRIL NDEGEYA

By David Himbara

Paul Kagame’s prides himself in running a tight ship aka the Singapore of Africa. The departing Auditor General Biraro’s last report shows otherwise.

According to the 2019/2020 Auditor General’s Report, three state-owned enterprises (SOEs) made an accumulated loss of RWF40,174,346,915 or US$39.6 million.

In addition, 62 contracts involving government entities worth RWF216,107,478,986 or US$212.5 million were delayed and remain at risk.

Meanwhile, government entities had abandoned altogether contracts worth RWF11,726,700,897 or US$11.5 million.

Lastly are the completed state assets that are inactive – these are worth RWF21,747,324,739 or US$21.3 million.

The combined accumulated losses, delayed contracts, abandoned projects and assets lying idle add to an extraordinary amount of US$284.9 million.

Mr Auditor General Biraro, you did your job.

Stay tuned.