Drake Nyamugabwa
A new assessment report reveals improved service delivery by local governments in Uganda. The Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabanja, while launching the results of the Local Government Management of Service Delivery Assessment Report 2022
The release of the results of the Local Government Management of Service Delivery Assessment Report 2022 by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) indicated best-performing districts and worst-performing districts, with an overall improvement in service delivery in Uganda.
Launched by the Prime Minister RT. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at Hotel Africana, Isingiro emerged as the best-performing district with an 89% score, followed by Kiruhura at 80%, Ibanda and Kamwenge both in 3rd position at 79%, Mayuge in 4th position, Kibuku in 8th position, followed by Bushenyi, Gulu, and Sembabule, respectively, while the worst-performing district included Abony, Serere, Bugwere, Kwen, Ntoroko, Kalaki, and Kapelebyong, among other local governments.
The best-performing sectors included education, followed by the Health sector.
The launch of the report was flanked by other ministers, including Justine Lumumba, Jenipher Namuyangu, Grace Kwiyucwiny, and other dignitaries, as pictured above.
Key areas considered under the assessment for performance measures included education, health, water, environment, microscale, Local revenues, investment management, local government service delivery results, financial management, transparency, and accountability.
The Prime Minister, while launching the report, said that after giving powers to local governments, it is for them to take responsibility for delivering services to the citizens, enabling Ugandans to choose leaders of their choice out of performance while engaging the people and platforms through which laws and guidelines are implemented.
“We need to look for progress in service delivery by asking where boreholes, hospitals, schools, and others are in local governments. We now have to promote government programs to help people prioritize poverty eradication by choosing projects of high value,” she said.
P.S. Local Government Ben Kumumanya
The Permanent Secretary for Local Government, , appealed to Local Government leaders to convene and deliberate on the issues in the results of the assessment report to improve areas that underscored the delivery of services.
“Check performance and check results for improvements with performance programs for weka areas to impact service delivery in the loca governments,” he said.
He added that the low performance of the local governments is affected by various factors, including logistics facilitation like transport and operational budgets, among others, while they are on duty to supervise and monitor government projects.
He called upon local government leaders to minimize infighting among themselves, which he said has led to poor performance by some local governments.
“We must work together. Where there is high performance, there is unity and working together of those leaders to steer development in Local government,” he said.
Lwengo district, which was ranked 9th at 67th, improved from a score of 49th in 2021 at 44%, which performance, according to district LCV Chairman Ibrahim Kitaka Almalik, was attributed to the good leadership and collaboration with the different leaders in the district.
He said that in order to further improve the performance of service delivery by the local government, there is a need to allocate funds according to the local communities’ needs, tighten performance contract measures, and enhance the revenue allocated to the local government.
“There is low revenue compared to the demands of the local communities. This leads to very slow service delivery, denying public facilities like water, which is shared with animals, and limited equipment to construct roads. The government should allocate funds to the right local demands,” he said.
The 3rd edition of the Local Government Management of Service Delivery Assessment Report 2022 followed the revision of the assessment framework aimed at incentivizing improved management of service delivery at the local government level. It was conducted between October and December 2023 with Ministries, departments, agencies, local governments, and development partners.
The findings of the report, according to Acting Permanent Secretary OPM Geffrey Sseremba, identify issues constraining service delivery in Local governments and propose recommendations to address them.
He said that the 2022 report results indicate improved average performance both in minimum conditions and performance measures at 51% compared to 44% in 2021 and 36% in 2020.
He attributed the performance to improved core performance indicators focusing on staffing, environment, and social safeguards, which determined the overall score.