Imihigo: A hybrid model associating traditional and modern logics in public policy implementation in Rwanda

The adoption of Imihigo as a new tool for public policy implementation emerged from the persistent observation that the existing bureaucratic system continued to react ‘in slow motion’ while the improvements promised by the government required more responsiveness. Although originally, its initiators conceived this new system as a home-grown solution, based on empirical findings, this article shows that it evolved in the form of a hybrid model relying on two opposite mechanisms to increase public service delivery: the spirit of emulation of local leaders rooted in tradition and the external control of performance rooted in the new public management philosophy.