Budgeting and Road Infrastructure Maintenance in Uganda A Case of Selected Sub Counties in Bukonzo West Constituency Kasese District

ABSTRACT 

The study was about Budgeting and road infrastructure maintenance in lower local Governments of Bukonzo west Kasese District. The study was carried out in the Sub counties of Bwera, Nyakiyumbu and Isango. The objectives of the study were to assess the role of budget process on road infrastructure maintenance in the Sub counties of Nyakiyumbu, Bwera and Isango, Bukonzo west Kasese District. To establish the effect of resource allocation on road infrastructure maintenance in Bukonzo west. To establish the effect of accountability on road infrastructure maintenance in Bukonzo west. The research was based on the effect of budgeting on road infrastructure maintenance in lower local governments of Bukonzo west. The research design used was descriptive survey, and the study population comprised of the CDOs, ACDOs, LCIII Chair persons, Sub county Chiefs, Sub accountants, local residents, and the councilors totaling to 224, who were purposively , and randomly selected. Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected using the interview guide questionnaire guide, and documentary data source. Data was analyzed using Microsoft excel. Basing on the study objectives, it was established that Sub counties in Bukonzo west do plan for their road infrastructure maintenance which has helped them to monitor their Community Access Roads. It was also established that Sub counties of Bukonzo west do allocate resources to their road infrastructure maintenance, but the resources are not enough to maintain local roads as required. This has affected the quality of roads in Bukonzo west and caused recurring expenditures and costs associated leading to increased poverty levels in Bukonzo west and accidents to traffic movers and goods of trade along the poor road network. Poor accountability of resources allocated to road infrastructure maintenance has compromised the quality of roads in Bukonzo west leading to recurring expenditures and slowed development in the area. In addition, the budget cuts due to emergencies like floods, wars has caused virements and re-allocation of resources meant to maintain community access roads. However, there are other factors responsible for poor road network in Bukonzo west, among which are; delay in government releases for community access roads, Lack of owner ship of community xiv roads by the community members, bad politics, among others. To bridge the above gap, planners of road infrastructure maintenance at all levels of government should allocate enough resources to road infrastructure maintenance, widen tax base, local leaders should identify local resource base and mobilize more local revenue to supplement central government releases to lower local Governments, community ownership of community roads is also needed. There is need for multi sect oral- multi stake holder coordination in the monitoring and implementation of government projects and programs as well as influencing public accountability for public resources and empower anticorruption bodies.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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

APPROVAL ...................................................................................................................... ii

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

ACKNWOLEGDMENT ................................................................................................. iv

ACRONYMS................................................................................................................... xii

ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................... xii

CHAPTERONE ................................................................................................................ 1

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

1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Background to the study ............................................................................................ 1

1.1.1 Historical background ............................................................................................... 1

1.1.2. Theoretical background........................................................................................... 7

1.1.3 Conceptual background............................................................................................. 8

1.1.4 Contextual background............................................................................................ 10

1.2 Statement of the problem ........................................................................................ 11

1.3 Purpose of the study................................................................................................. 12

1.5 Research questions.................................................................................................... 13

1.6 Significance of the study........................................................................................... 13

1.8 Scope of the study...................................................................................................... 15

1.8.2 Geographical scope ................................................................................................. 15

1.8.3 Time scope ............................................................................................................... 16

CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................ 17

LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................................. 17

2.0. Introduction to the chapter......................................................................................... 17

2.1 The effect of budget process on road infrastructure maintenance in the sub counties of Nyakiyumbu, Bwera and Isango in Bukonzo west Kasese district local government...... 17

2.2 The effect of resource allocation on road infrastructure maintenance in the selected sub counties of Nyakiyumbu, Bwera and Isango in Bukonzo west Kasese district local government ....................................................................................................................... 20

2.3 The effect of accountability on road infrastructure maintenance in the selected sub counties in Bukonzo west- Kasese district local government........................................... 22

2.4 Summary of literature gap .......................................................................................... 24

CHAPTER THREE........................................................................................................ 25

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 25

3.0. Introduction to the chapter ..................................................................................... 25

3.1. Research design ......................................................................................................... 25

3.2. Study Population........................................................................................................ 26

3.3. Methods of arriving at Sample Size........................................................................... 28

3.5. Data source................................................................................................................. 29

3.5.1 Primary data. ........................................................................................................... 29

3.5.2 Secondary data......................................................................................................... 29

3.6. Data collection instruments........................................................................................ 30

3.6.1. Questionnaires....................................................................................................... 30

3.6.2. Interviews................................................................................................................ 30

3.6.3 Documentary source ................................................................................................ 30

3.7. Validity and reliability of data collection instruments............................................... 31

3.7.1. Validity.................................................................................................................... 31

3.7.2 Reliability of data collection instrument.................................................................. 32

3.8 Data processing........................................................................................................... 32

3.8.1. Data editing. ........................................................................................................... 32

3.8.2 Data coding.............................................................................................................. 32

3.8.3 Data Analysis........................................................................................................... 33

3.8.4 Qualitative data analysis......................................................................................... 33

3.8.5 Quantitative data analysis ....................................................................................... 33

3.9 Limitations.................................................................................................................. 34

3.10 Ethical considerations............................................................................................... 34

CHAPTER FOUR........................................................................................................... 36

4.0. Introduction................................................................................................................ 36

4.1. Bio data of respondents.............................................................................................. 36

4.1.1: Gender distribution of respondents. ....................................................................... 36

4.1.3.Marital status of respondents................................................................................... 38

4.1.4. Level of education of respondents........................................................................... 40

4.1.5. Position held by respondents. ................................................................................. 41

4.1.6. Experience of the respondents. ............................................................................... 42

4.2 The role of budget meeting on road infrastructure maintenance. ............................... 45

4.3 The effect of resource allocation on roads infrastructure maintenance. ..................... 49

4.4 The effect of accountability on road infrastructure maintenance. ............................. 53

CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................................ 60

DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................... 60

OF THE FINDINGS....................................................................................................... 60

5.0. Introduction................................................................................................................ 60

5.1 Discussion of the findings........................................................................................... 60

5.3 Recommendations....................................................................................................... 72

5.4 Suggested areas for further study................................................................................ 73

REFERENCES................................................................................................................ 74

APPENDIX 1................................................................................................................... 78

QUESTIONNAIRE......................................................................................................... 78

APPENDIX 2................................................................................................................... 81

AN INTERVIEW GUIDE.............................................................................................. 81