Decentralization and Rural Service Delivery in Uganda
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Date
2013
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
DIIS
Abstract
Uganda introduced the decentralization policy in 1997 under the Local Government Act of 1997 that has
since undergone four amendments. The policy inherently decentralized service delivery institutions and
their governance in order to improve access to services for the rural poor. Based on an analysis of
available literature, the paper documents the state of knowledge regarding rural service provision in
Uganda under decentralization and identifies knowledge gaps for further investigation. Its focus is on
education, health, and agricultural advisory services, as well as the management of natural resources in
Uganda. Although enlightening, a review of the broader decentralization literature is beyond the scope of
this work. The analysis revealed that results in terms of attaining the objectives of decentralization are
mixed. While as anticipated generally decentralization resulted in greater participation and control over
service delivery and governance by local communities, local governments are still grappling with a range
of challenges, namely, inadequate local financial resources and over-reliance on conditional central
government grants; inability to attract and retain sufficient trained and experienced staff; corruption,
nepotism, and elite capture. With regard to the specific services, while universal primary education (UPE)
policy under the decentralization framework is credited with a dramatic increase in primary school
enrollment, public primary education services are still dogged by concerns over financing, equity, quality,
and the need for curriculum reform. Some studies show that there has been no improvement in health
services with many health status indicators either stagnating or worsening. In general, decentralization of
education and health services has not resulted in greater participation of the ordinary people and
accountability of service providers to the community. Regarding agricultural extension and advisory
services, except for areas serviced by NGOs, the majority of the country does not readily access extension
services, because districts have been unable to prioritize the operational expenses. However, there is some
evidence that the devolution of responsibility for natural resource management (NRM) has contributed to
greater compliance with some NRM requirements in some areas while in other areas forest conditions
have declined following decentralization. Generally, evidence on whether decentralization has improved
service delivery in Uganda is still inconclusive, and more research is needed.
Description
Keywords
Uganda, Decentralization, Rural service delivery
Citation
Friis-Hansen, E., Bashaasha, B., & Aben, C. (2013). Decentralization and implementation of climate change policy in Uganda (No. 2013: 17). DIIS Working Paper.