Feedback from citizens is at the core of enabling transparency and accountability for public offices, Executive Director of Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA), Dorothy Kisaka has observed.

She, therefore, appealed to the public to offer feedback on all KCCA services to guide the authority in its effects to improve service delivery.

While speaking during a Monday meeting with officials from SEMA at the KCCA headquarters, Kisaka said integrity in the delivery of public service is an effect of continuous assessment of the society as a whole.

Lydia Matta Country Director SEMA (L) handing over a certificate for outstanding performance to Dorothy Kisaka, ED KCCA and Rose Evelyn Achan Senior Nurse In-charge KCCA. (Photo by Godiver Asege)

SEMA is a not-for-profit institution that gathers citizens' feedback to improve public service delivery.

“Feedback is a must. How you receive it is another issue, you might get angry, or be flattered. But it is an eye-opener because it informs you about the state of your work to the public,” she said, highlighting especially as an independent observer.

SEMA did a study on six KCCA health centres from September 2020 – September 2021, after which it recognized City Hall Clinic for its efforts to ensure the public is served well. The others in the study were Kitebi, Kisenyi, Kisugu, Komamboga, and Kitebi Health centres.

Lydia Matte, the country director of SEMA, said the goal is to see that citizens’ voices are heard because many citizens visit public offices but they don’t have a meaningful way of having feedback.

Lydia Matta Country Director SEMA. (Photo by Godiver Asege)

“Many public institutions have suggestion boxes, but they are rarely opened, yet many citizens rely on public services and the views are required to ensure they are well served,” she said.

According to SEMA, the activity is done in light of Goal 16 of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which targets developing effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Kisaka said despite the health sector being currently stretched due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is commendable to see that the health workers at their centres remained professional.

Matte said they do monthly reports on the performance of individual service points, looking at factors such as satisfaction, waiting time, cleanliness of the service point, friendliness and professionalism of the health centre staff, and degree to which the staff shared detailed information with the clients. The organisation uses a rating device with smileys, as well as one-on-one interviews to collect qualitative and quantitative data.

Dorothy Kisaka, Executive Director KCCA addressing journalists. (Photo by Godiver Asege)

Kisaka said despite the health sector being currently stretched due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is commendable to see that the health workers at their centres remained professional.

Matte commended City Hall Clinic for being keen on the feedback.  “City Hall Clinic are willing to make changes after the recommendations. One of the problems was on the labs,” she said.