Achievements and Challenges of Decentralization Programme: A Case Study of Kampala District, Uganda

ABSTRACT It is often claimed that decentralization is effective for the reduction of poverty due to inherent opportunities for higher popular participation and increased efficiency in public service delivery. This paper is a qualitative assessment of the potential of the Ugandan decentralization reform for poverty alleviation . The Ugandan government initiated an ambitious decentralization reform in 1992, which represents an example of full-fledged devolution with the transfer of farreaching responsibilities to local governments. However, several shortcomings, such as low levels of accountability, insuffident human and financial resources, corruption, patronage, and central resistance to decentralization, constrain the proper implementation of the reform , putting improvements in participation and effic1ency at risk and ultimately jeopardizing the intended impact on poverty. This study was intended to investigate achievements and challenges of decentralization programme: A case study of Kampala district, Uganda

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION .................................................................................................. i

. -· APPROVAL .... .. .. ....... ........................................................................................ ii

DEDICATION ......... ...................... ............... ........................ .............................. iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .. ..... .. .................. .... .................................................... iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................... v

LIST OF TABLES .. ......... ........ .................... .. .................................................. viii

ABSTRACT. ....... ... .................. ........... ............................................................... ix

CHAPTER ONE ................................................................................................. 1

INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................... 1

1 0 Introduction .. ...... ... ..... ............................................................................... 1

1 1 Background to the study . ........................... ................................................. 2

1 2 Statement of the problem .. ............ ........ ..................................... ........ .......... 3

1 3 Objectives of the study ... ...... ............................ .. .......... .. ............................. .4

1.3 1 Specific Objectives ......................................................... .......................... 5

1.4 Research Questions ..................... ................... ......................... ................... 5

1 5 Scope of the study ..................... : .. ................................................................ 6

1.6 Significance .... ....... ...................................................................................... 6

CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................ 7

LITERATURE REVIEW ......... ............................................................................ 7

2 0 Introduction ........ .................... ................................ ...................................... 7

v

-- - - - . - - -. --. -- - - - - --

2 1 Definitive review of Decentralization ......................................................... .. 7

2.2 Theoretical Perspective ...................................................................... .. ....... 7

2 3 Conceptual Review ...................................................................................... 9

2.4 Related literature .. ............................................................... ....... ............... 1 0

2.5 Challenges of Decentralization programme in Uganda .............................. 10

2.6 Overv1ew of the literature ........................................................................... 12

CHAPTER THREE .......................................................................................... 14

METHODOLOGY ............................................................................................ 14

3.0 Introduction ...... ..................................................................................... 14

3 1 Des1gn ........ . . ...................................................................................... 14

3 2 Populat1on . ............ ................................................................................... 14

3 3 Samplmg Strateg1es ........................................... ................................... .... 14

3 4 Data Collection Methods ............................................................................. 15

3 5 Data Collection Instruments ............................ ......................................... .. 15

3.6 Data Quality Control .................................................................................. 15

3.7 Procedure ............ ....................................................................... .............. 16

3 8 Data Analysis ........................................................................ ............. ....... 16

CHAPTER FOUR ...... ...................................................................................... 17

4.0 DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION ............... 17

4.1 1ntroduction ................................ : .. ........................... .. ................................. 17

VI

~ . - -·----- -----~-- --- - ------ - --~~·--·------- ~-----~ ___________ .,. __ -··------- ~-- .... ·----- ~------ ...... - - -------------

CHAPTER. FIVE ........... ................................................................................... 26

DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..................... 26

5.1 Introduction .... .............................. ................. ........................ ..................... 26

5.2 Discussion and conclusions .. ..................................................................... 26

5.3 Recommendations ......................................................... ... ......................... 27

5.4 Areas for further research .. ............... ............ ......................... .................... 28

REFERENCES ................................................................................................ 29

APPENDICES ................................. : ............ .................................................... 31

APPENDIX 1. ...................................... ....... ............ ............................ ..... .... ...... 31

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE RESPONDENTS .............................................. 31

APPENDIX II .......................................................................................... .. ...... 34

PROPOSED BUDGET FOR CONDUCTING RESEARCH .......... .................... 34