The curse of financial decentralization to the upcountry districts in Uganda: the neglected service delivery correlates

Abstract

The study identified the variables in the financial decentralization policy that have been neglected so as to render local government service delivery a nightmare in Uganda using the upcountry district of Mbale. The population comprised Mbale Municipality administration covering employees in the office of the town clerk, finance department, health department, education department, engineering and works department and internal audit department. The specific objectives were; (1) to establish the relationship between various aspects of financial reporting and accounting and service delivery under the current decentralization; (2) to examine the relationship between the existing planning and budgeting practices and service delivery; and (3) to analyze the relationship between management of funds and service delivery. Results of the study confirm a positive and significant relationship between financial reporting, and accounting practices and the expected service delivery under the current decentralization [r = .832**, p < 0.0001]; (2) there is a positive and significant relationship between the existing planning and budgeting practices and service delivery [r = .752**, p < 0.0001]; and (3) there is a positive and significant relationship between financial management and service delivery [r = .911**, p < 0.0001]. It was concluded that financial reporting, accounting, planning and meaningful budgeting in the management of funds are key service delivery correlates that local governments must adhere to in order to ameliorate and reverse the trend that is leading financial decentralization to be a curse. It was recommended therefore that the central government should have a strategy to see distant things like local governments that are in the rural setting as if they were close and to take a distant view of close things like municipalities within and around the Capital City.