IMPACT OF DECENTRALIZATION ON SERVICE DELIVERY IN UGANDA.

A CASE

STUDY OF BUHANDA SUB-COUNTY KITAGWENDA DISTRICT.

Problem Statement

Decentralization is a key aspect of public sector reform in Uganda aimed at improving service
delivery, enhancing local democracy and promoting development. Decentralization in Buhanda
has resulted in an uneven distribution of resources, as local governments do not have equal
access to resources, resulting in some regions or communities receiving more resources than
others. In the same manner, decentralization has led to fragmentation of policies and programs
resulting in duplication of efforts and inefficiencies. According to the 2021 performance report,
it revealed that decentralization has resulted into a lack of coordination between different levels
of government within the district making it difficult to achieve coherence and consistency in
policy implementation. The same report cited that decentralization resulted into lack of
accountability.

However, there is a lack of comprehensive studies that have examined the impact of
decentralization on service delivery in Uganda at the local government level. In particular, there
is limited research that has focused on the experiences of small local governments, such as
Buhanda Sub-County in Kitagwenda District. This study aims to fill this gap by exploring the
impact of decentralization on service delivery in Buhanda Sub-County, Kitagwenda District. The
study will examine the extent to which decentralization has improved service delivery in the sub-
county, identify the factors that have facilitated or hindered the implementation of
decentralization reforms, and provide recommendations for improving the effectiveness of
decentralization in promoting service delivery in Uganda.

Study Objectives:

The study aims to achieve the following objectives:

1. To assess the extent to which decentralization has improved service delivery in Buhanda
Sub-County, Kitagwenda District.
2. To identify the factors that have facilitated or hindered the implementation of
decentralization reforms in Buhanda Sub-County, Kitagwenda District.
3. To provide recommendations for improving the effectiveness of decentralization in
promoting service delivery in Buhanda Sub-County, Kitagwenda District, and other small
local governments in Uganda.