6 - Decentralisation in Uganda: Prospects for Improved Service Delivery
Corresponding Author(s) : Roberts Kabeba Muriisa
Africa Development,
Vol. 33 No. 4 (2008): Africa Development: Special Issue Public Sector Reforms in Africa
Abstract
Since the 1980s, many Sub-Saharan African countries have been undergoing structural reforms with a view to promoting efficient service delivery. Decentrali- sation, defined as the transfer of authority from central to local governments to perform certain duties, is seen as one of the public sector reform strategies to increase service delivery. Decentralisation in Uganda began in 1986 with the coming into power of the National Resistance Movement, which aimed at pro- moting democracy and enhancing local participation. In Uganda, political de- centralisation developed along with financial decentralisation. The goal of po- litical decentralisation was to promote people’s participation in the democratic process of Uganda. This took the form of Administrative Units – Resistance Councils (RC)1 running from the village to district levels. Financial decentralisa- tion, on the other hand, attempted to assign responsibilities and taxes between the centre and local governments, to enable the transfer of grants and other resources to different parts of the country, and to improve service delivery. This paper will review different government, public and academic documents as well as findings of other researches such as UN reports about decentralisation and service delivery in Uganda. Based on these sources the paper will answer the following questions: to what extent does decentralisation increase service de- livery? To what extent does decentralisation increase efficiency, participation, accountability and effectiveness? What are the challenges of implementing de- centralisation in Uganda?
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- Akin, J., Hutchinson, P. and Strumpf, K., 2001, ‘Decentralisation and Government Provision of Public Goods: The Public Health Sector in Uganda’, in Abt. Associates: MEASURE Evaluation Project Working Paper 01–35, Bethesda, MD.
- Braun, Von Joachim and Grote, Ulrike, 2000, ‘Does Decentralisation Serve the Poor?’ Paper read at IMF Conference on Fiscal Decentralisation, Washington, DC, 20–21 November.
- Faguet, J.-P., 2000, ‘Decentralisation and Local Government Performance: Improving Public Service Provision in Bolivia’, in Revista De Economia De la Universidad Del Rosario III.
- Golola, L. M., 2003, ‘Decentralisation, Local Bureaucracies and Service Delivery in Uganda’, in Reforming Africa’s Institutions, ed. Kayizzi-Mugerwa, S., New York: United Nations University Press.
- Hutchinson, P. l, 1991, Health Care in Uganda, WDP 404, World Bank Discussion Paper, Washington: World Bank.
- Kayizzi-Mugerwa, S., 1998, Uganda Towards Result-oriented Economic Management, Country Economic Report, Stockholm: Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).
- Kayizzi-Mugerwa, S., 1999, Uganda at the End of the 1990s: A Medium-term Assessment, Stockhlom: Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). MFPED, 1998, Vision 2025: Prosperous People, Harmonious Nations, Beautiful Country: A Strategic Framework for National Development, Vol. 2, Background Papers, Kampala: Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic
- Development.
- MFPED and MAFAI, 1998, Government of Uganda, Statement to the December 1998 Consultative Group Meeting, Paper read at Towards A Sector-wide Approach, Developing a Framework for the Modernisation of Agriculture, Kampala.
- Murembe, N., Mokhawa, G and Sebudubudu, D., 2005, Decentralisation and African developmental states: Experiences from Uganda and Botswana, in The Potentiality of Developmental States in Africa, ed. P. Mbabazi and I. Taylor, Dakar: Codesria.
- Muriisa, Roberts, 2001, NGOs and Rural Development in Uganda, MPhil thesis, monograph, University of Bergen, Norway.
- Muriisa, Roberts, 2007, The AIDS Pandemic in Uganda: Social Capital and the Role of NGOs in Alleviating HIV/AIDS Challenges, PhD thesis, Public Administration and Organisation Theory, Bergen, Norway.
- Nsibambi, Apollo, 1998, Decentralisation and Civil Society in Uganda: The Quest for Good Governance, Kampala: Fountain.
- Pollitt, Christopher, Birchall, Johnston and Putnam, Keith, 1998, Decentralising Public Service Management, London: Macmillan.
- Saito, Fumihiko, 1999, Decentralisation in Uganda: Challenges for the 21st Century, Copenhagen: DANIDA.
- Shah, Anwar and Theresa, Thompson, 2004, Implementing Decentralized Local Governance: ‘Treacherous Roads with Potholes, Detours and Road Closures’, in Policy Research Working Papers, Washington, DC: World Bank.
- Turner, Mark and Hulme, David, 1997, Governance, Administration and Development: Making the State Work, New York: Palgrave.
- UNDP, 2004, World Development Report, Washington, DC: United Nations. World Bank, 2001, Decentralization and Governance: Does Decentralization Improve Service Delivery?, in Prem Notes.
- World Bank, 2003, World Development Report 2004: Making Services Work for Poor People, Washington, DC: World Bank and Oxford University Press.
References
Akin, J., Hutchinson, P. and Strumpf, K., 2001, ‘Decentralisation and Government Provision of Public Goods: The Public Health Sector in Uganda’, in Abt. Associates: MEASURE Evaluation Project Working Paper 01–35, Bethesda, MD.
Braun, Von Joachim and Grote, Ulrike, 2000, ‘Does Decentralisation Serve the Poor?’ Paper read at IMF Conference on Fiscal Decentralisation, Washington, DC, 20–21 November.
Faguet, J.-P., 2000, ‘Decentralisation and Local Government Performance: Improving Public Service Provision in Bolivia’, in Revista De Economia De la Universidad Del Rosario III.
Golola, L. M., 2003, ‘Decentralisation, Local Bureaucracies and Service Delivery in Uganda’, in Reforming Africa’s Institutions, ed. Kayizzi-Mugerwa, S., New York: United Nations University Press.
Hutchinson, P. l, 1991, Health Care in Uganda, WDP 404, World Bank Discussion Paper, Washington: World Bank.
Kayizzi-Mugerwa, S., 1998, Uganda Towards Result-oriented Economic Management, Country Economic Report, Stockholm: Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA).
Kayizzi-Mugerwa, S., 1999, Uganda at the End of the 1990s: A Medium-term Assessment, Stockhlom: Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). MFPED, 1998, Vision 2025: Prosperous People, Harmonious Nations, Beautiful Country: A Strategic Framework for National Development, Vol. 2, Background Papers, Kampala: Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic
Development.
MFPED and MAFAI, 1998, Government of Uganda, Statement to the December 1998 Consultative Group Meeting, Paper read at Towards A Sector-wide Approach, Developing a Framework for the Modernisation of Agriculture, Kampala.
Murembe, N., Mokhawa, G and Sebudubudu, D., 2005, Decentralisation and African developmental states: Experiences from Uganda and Botswana, in The Potentiality of Developmental States in Africa, ed. P. Mbabazi and I. Taylor, Dakar: Codesria.
Muriisa, Roberts, 2001, NGOs and Rural Development in Uganda, MPhil thesis, monograph, University of Bergen, Norway.
Muriisa, Roberts, 2007, The AIDS Pandemic in Uganda: Social Capital and the Role of NGOs in Alleviating HIV/AIDS Challenges, PhD thesis, Public Administration and Organisation Theory, Bergen, Norway.
Nsibambi, Apollo, 1998, Decentralisation and Civil Society in Uganda: The Quest for Good Governance, Kampala: Fountain.
Pollitt, Christopher, Birchall, Johnston and Putnam, Keith, 1998, Decentralising Public Service Management, London: Macmillan.
Saito, Fumihiko, 1999, Decentralisation in Uganda: Challenges for the 21st Century, Copenhagen: DANIDA.
Shah, Anwar and Theresa, Thompson, 2004, Implementing Decentralized Local Governance: ‘Treacherous Roads with Potholes, Detours and Road Closures’, in Policy Research Working Papers, Washington, DC: World Bank.
Turner, Mark and Hulme, David, 1997, Governance, Administration and Development: Making the State Work, New York: Palgrave.
UNDP, 2004, World Development Report, Washington, DC: United Nations. World Bank, 2001, Decentralization and Governance: Does Decentralization Improve Service Delivery?, in Prem Notes.
World Bank, 2003, World Development Report 2004: Making Services Work for Poor People, Washington, DC: World Bank and Oxford University Press.