Tackling Corruption in Public Procurement: A Case of Local Governments in Uganda

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Date
2008
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International Public Procurement conference, Amsterdam
Abstract
According to the 2007 annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) released by Transparency International, Uganda is ranked as the 11th most corrupt country out of a survey of 179 countries. With only 2.8 CPI score, corruption in Uganda is still a big hindrance to effective resource utilization and efficient service delivery. The research results generated through questionnaires and interviews, confirm that corruption exists in public procurement in Kampala district which influences awarding of contracts. So, despite government effort towards creating a legal and institutional framework required to fight it, corruption in public procurement in Uganda is still pervasive, institutionalised and endemic. Unlike in most existing literature that indicates that corruption is more prevalent at specification stage, in Uganda, it occurs at evaluation stage. We suggest that if corruption is to be reduced in the country, there should be a cultural transformation, political goodwill to fight self aggrandizement and a vigilant civil society to act as whistle blowers whenever a case of corruption is sighted. The PPDA, citizenry, district leaders and Civil Society Organisations need to be vibrant and take responsibility for their own actions and decisions, and behave ethically so as to ensure value for money and to uphold the principles of transparency, fairness, non discrimination efficiency and effectiveness in public procurement.
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Oluka, P. N., & Ssennoga, F. (2008, August). Tackling corruption in public procurement: A case of local governments in Uganda. In third International Public Procurement conference, Amsterdam.