Fiscal decentralization and service delivery in local government in Uganda, a case of Kyengera town council, Wakiso district

Abstract

The study examined the influence of fiscal Decentralization on Service Delivery in Local Government in Uganda, a Case of Kyengera Town Council, Wakiso District. The study was guided by the following objectives: to examine the forms of fiscal decentralization, to assess the influence of fiscal decentralization on service delivery, to examine the factors associated with fiscal decentralization to service delivery, to assess the existing strategies for improving service delivery under decentralization in Kyengera Town Council. The research design used both descriptive and cross-sectional research. A sample of 67 respondents from Kyengera Town Council. The methodology used in this study was both qualitative and quantitative. The questionnaire and interview guide were the main instruments of data collection. Quantitative data was analyzed using frequency counts, means and percentages while qualitative data was analyzed by tallying the numbers of similar responses. The study revealed that there were various forms of decentralization which include political decentralization and administrative decentralization. From the study, political decentralization aims to give citizens or their elected representatives more power in public decision-making. It is often associated with pluralistic politics and representative government, but it can also support democratization by giving citizens, or their representatives, more influence in the formulation and implementation of policies. From the study, the council and management carry out financial planning among the various priority areas such as education, health, road construction and other vital services. The research study found out that fiscal decentralization is still a feasible strategy for bringing about improved service delivery in Kyengera Town Council or local government. In Kyengera Town Council there is efficiency of decentralization on how the authority to tax and spend is distributed between the central and local government for better service delivery. The study therefore recommends that fiscal decentralization should be implemented along with other policies to help monitor for corruption, nepotism, accountability and value for money on all government contracts sourced at local government levels. The local communities should also be directly involved in evaluating the works of contractors to ensure there is value for money.