CURBING CORRUPTION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN UGANDA : EXPERIENCE OF BUSHENYI DISTRICT

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CURBING CORRUPTION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN
UGANDA EXPERIENCE OF BUSHENYI DISTRICT

• Presented by Bitarabeho Johnson
• Chief Administration Officer,
• Bushenyi District, Uganda
• May, 2003

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• Historical Perspective
• Absence of Rule of Law
• Lack of Democracy and Accountability
• Decentralisation Policy

• Corruption Is a diversion from the
  set/accepted norms in the course of performance
  of ones public duties, for selfish personal
  gain.

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Forms of Corruption

• Fraud and Embezzlement.
• Misappropriation of public funds
• Misuse of public assets.
• Air supply
• Ghost employees.
• Bribery and extortion.
• Nepotism and favoritism.

Causes

• Economic and peer group pressures
• Political turbulence
• Weak institutional controls and supervision.
• Moral decay, Greed and excessive ambitions.

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Effects

• Disrepute to the country and its leadership
• Collapse of delivery of services
• Inequity in distribution of resources
• Demoralizes committed officers
• Demotivates development partners
• Weakens democratic governance.
• Environmental degradation.

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Measures to combat corruption

• i) National level framework-
• Legal Frame work
• Institutional Framework
• ii) District level framework -
• Technical Institutions
• Political Institutions
• Boards, Commissions and Committees.

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Measures to combat corruption

• iii) Action taken by Bushenyi
• Functional institutions
• Human Resource Development
• Bottomup Participatory Planning and budgeting.
• Consensus on resource allocation by all
  stakeholders.
• Expenditure/budget control
• Multi-sectoral monitoring evaluation
• Improved reporting
• Public Launching of projects.
• Public notices on resource allocation,
• Bushenyi Radio programme

• Establishment of Investment and Project
  Management Committees at community level.
• Mentoring of lower councils
• Greater involvement of private sector and civil
  society organisations.
• Prosecution of corrupt officials.
• Public suggestion box
• Anti-Corruption Week
• Recognising Good Performers
• Charter on accountability /code of conduct for LGs

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Impact

• Improved financial management
• Funds reach target population
• Timely implementation of projects Increased
  awareness, community contribution, ownership and
  sustainability
• Improved relationship between political leaders
  and the technical officers in the District.
• Increased participation of civil society
  organizations and private sector in service
  delivery.
• Enhanced service delivery (see table below)

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Table on service delivery 1998 - 2002

• Service 1998 2002
• Immunisation 40 82
• Safe water 51.3 62.5
• Literacy 56 65
• District roads 670 kms 810 kms
• District Revenue 13.9 Bn 26.4 Bn
• P/S enrolment(1996-2002) Pupils 116,258 264,792
• Classrooms 497
• Three Seater Desks 7,452

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Challenges

• Low household incomes
• Inadequate resources.
• Poor remuneration of public and political leaders
• High salary compression ratio (175) i.e. from
  UShs. 60,000 to UShs. 4,500,000
• Political influence
• Moral decadence of society.
• Weak Civil society organizations
• HIV /AIDS scourge.
• Weak anti-corruption institutions

Way forward

• Greater Political commitment at all levels
• Strengthen Planning, financial management,
  investigation and prosecution
• Make corruption an expensive venture
• Strengthen roles of stakeholders - media,
  community, civil society, Parliament
  
  

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Conclusion

• Corruption is a cancer that eats the social,
  political and economic fabric of development. It
  requires co-operation of everybody and support by
  the international community.