The Republic of Uganda MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT

THE SECOND CONFERENCE OF AFRICAN AND EAUROPEAN REGIONAL AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES

“The Impact of the Economic and Financial Crisis on Decentralised Governance in Africa: the response of Local Authorities to the New Development Challenges”

ENHANCING DELIVERY OF LOCAL SERVICES AT LOCAL LEVELPresented By:

Josephine KasyaChairperson, Kanungu District Local Government, Uganda

E-mail:josephinek81@yahoo.com

PALAZO VECCHIO, FLORENCE, ITALY6 -7th November 2009

IntroductionI am glad to be part of this important event where we -Examine strategies for enhancing delivery of local services at local level in the context of the economic and financial crisis on decentralised governance in Africa. I wish to contribute to the response that we as local authorities deem to be appropriate in responding to the new development challenges. My experience as a local government leader of a local authority in a developing country has shown me that we need a meeting point – between policy makers and policy practitioners.

Local Authorities in Decentralized Service Delivery

World over, it is recognized that Local Authorities provide appropriate conduits for service delivery.Las are the closest points to the service user. This is one of the basic tenets and benefits of decentralization and local governance. This advantage not withstanding, there are significant risks, dilemmas and challenges.

Local Authorities in Decentralized Service Delivery

Decentralized governance creates political winners and losers; requires more complex systems of:Financial allocation, Control and accountability; Demands more widely distributed management and technical capacities linked to service delivery.

Local Authorities in Decentralized Service Delivery

Decentralization raises a number of service delivery expectations. Aggravated by disparate efforts and programmes - SectoralMinistries which act as intermediary institutions to service delivery. Mismatch between capacity provision and LG performance.Capacity building funding not resulting into commensurate skills and institutional systems capacity. Arising weak technical capacities undermine service delivery efforts, coordination and oversight. Need to reverse these trends to lessen the impact of the global financial crisis on the local authorities.

Objectives of Decentralization in Uganda

Decentralisation in Uganda is designed to achieve the following:Transfer real power to districts and thus reduce the load of work on remote and under resourced central officials.Bring political and administrative control over services to point where they are actually delivered, thereby improving accountability and effectiveness, promoting peoples feeling of ownership of programmes and projects executed in their districts.Free local managers from central constraints and, as a long-term goal, allow them develop organisational structures tailored to local circumstances.

Objectives of Decentralization in Uganda

Improve financial accountability and responsibility by establishing a clear link between the payment of taxes and the provision of services they finance.Improve the capacities of the councils to plan, finance and manage the delivery of services of their finance and manage the delivery of services of their constituencies.Support local economic Development in communities

Implications of the objectivesEstablish a rational and unified service delivery system at the sunbational level.Promote greater involvement of communities, in turn lead to plans appropriate to local needs and problems/priorities.Reduce duplication of services and costs by relating responsibilities to a defined catchment population.Reduce inequalities through selective allocation of resources.Strengthen national policy and planning by releasing ministry staff administrative and routine responsibilities.Improve the implementation of programmes by reducing centralisedcontrol over local administrative matters.Encourage greater community financing and control over local facilities and staff.Reduce problems and delays caused by long distances and poor communication.

Basic ServicesWe at times misconstrue basic services to include housing, water, health and education only.At the local level, what constitutes basic services depends on individual country systems and economies. In countries and local authorities, where food security is a major issue, basic services would include among others the responsibility of the state and its local authorities to ensure provision of food to its citizens. The provision of basic services takes place in context

ability of the local authorities to make decisions on the types and volumes of the services and ability to raise and allocate resources tagged to service delivery costs.

Basic Services

Decision-making and the right to demand for services are, therefore, key determinants in the manner in which services are delivered and what quality and amounts.Governance is a critical tenet for service delivery – through ensuring correct representation and, therefore, decisions. Regular election elections ensure “rotational power” and the ability for citizens to participate in the day-to-day management of their localities. Voter power in determining the local leaders has a direct correlation to service delivery not by way of expectations alone but by the leaders wanting to give back.

Context and Pre-requisitesCommonest forms of services in any local authority are the social services –water, accessibility services through roads and communication networks, education and health services. Services require skills and finances. Services are provided in a context and demand certain pre-requisites. Territorial belonging, security and protection of persons and property, governance which includes a conducive structure for service delivery.

Context and Pre-requisitesGovernance structure must provide link points between the service users, the givers and overseers.Individuals, households and communities must see themselves as recipients of services relevant to their needs.In the context of a global financial crisis service delivery at local levels demand prudent diagnosisdevelopment needs, financial, capacity and skills requirements.

Context and Pre-requisitesNeed to categorize the criticality of certain services Cautious resource allocation process Local authorities must identify and implement innovative ways of augmenting their resourcesLessen dependence on transfers from their national governments. Safety nets at communities, local authorities, regional blocks and groupings are important in further mitigating the effects of the financial crisis. Should be backed by strong policy safety nets that prevent local authorities from exposure to exploitation.

Enhancing DeliveryIn Africa, and particularly in Uganda - big service deficit as evidenced by very low per capita service ratioso doctor-patient, o teacher-pupil, o household-water source, o pupil-classroom and others. Enhancing service delivery demands that service delivery standards are strictly adhered to

Enhancing DeliveryThis ensures accessibility, equity, quality and value for money. Equity principle - services are rendered in the right amounts – proportionate to potential users, are relevant, accessible, affordable and effective. Financial crisis calls for more sustainable services delivery especially among the rural poor whose capacity to survive is greatly impaired by external shocks on society.

Planning and Budgeting Systems

Enhancing service delivery is deeply rooted in good planning andbudgeting systems which invariably differ in depth and application.P&B relies on valid data and information. Uganda - elaborate bottom-up participatory planning and budgeting system exists from the communities to national level. A Harmonized Participatory Planning Guide (HPPG) exists and is supported by a medium-term expenditure framework (MTEP). Processes are mutually re-enforcing to ensure that LAs develop their 3-year plans and budgets in synch with the national Plan. HPPG - one of the prized pieces on planning, in the Eastern and Southern African region.GoU is deepening its applications and use in Local Government planning.

Planning and Budgeting Systems-c`tdLAs are financially supported to apply and implement the full range of methodologies and approaches as detailed in the guide. Poverty analysis should be followed by appropriate planning frameworks that transparently address the felt needs of the local authorities.This acts as an impetus for individuals and communities to contribute to development and leverage the financial gap occasioned by a shrinking external resource - aid, central government transfers and donations.Isolating what works and what does not work will be very essential in restraining local authorities from spending on “wish lists”.These may not result in any poverty impact.

Oversight

Financial crisis calls for greater and more prudent oversight to ensure correct decisions and resource use. LAs need to constantly acknowledge the mandate and role of LAs in basic service deliveryNeed to lessen bureaucratic procedures such in procurement and financial management that increase the cost of doing things.

What needs to be done?

Local authorities need to adopt cost saving methods of delivering services, without compromising quality. We need to stop doing business as usual and shift our energies to corporate governance and local economic development. While the interventionist public provision model of service delivery has worked, it has fallen short of directly enhancing individual and household incomes. Local authorities should promote an environment that unleashes the productive potentials of individual localities. Social investments should be serviced through LED programmes which directly raise household incomes.

What needs to be done?

The menu of options should be varied from exclusive public capital provision - schools, health units to supporting productive ventures and business development. The private sector, hitherto seen a distance and commercially driven, needs to be brought into the service delivery ring in terms of financial and other resources such as experts.A PPP approach to service delivery will ensure the tapping of comparative advantages of each stakeholder and resource pooling. Privatization and liberalization are preferred economic policies, local authorities need to increasingly divest themselves from non-core functions.

CONCLUSIONDecentralisation is a complex process and its effective implementation is shaped by its context. LGs need to strengthen their resilience to deliver services by building capacity of the political/technical leadership and institutionsLAs should refocus planning to include Local Economic Development in their investment portfolios as a way of widening their tax base and reducing dependence on central Coordination and harmonization in centre local relations and modes of service delivery need strengtheningParticipatory planning and budgeting will foster ownership by the communities

End Note

I thank You All!