Sub-county 'baraza' to track govt funds
Jan 26, 2009
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has instituted more stringent measures to stamp out corruption in government. This, the President said, would enable the people to demand full accountability and better service delivery from the political leadership and public se
By Cyprian Musoke
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has instituted more stringent measures to stamp out corruption in government. Museveni directed the Minister for the Presidency, Beatrice Wabudeya, to set up public fora known as barazas at ,i>gombolola level (sub-county) for the local leaders to explain to the people how public funds they received were utilised.
This, the President said, would enable the people to demand full accountability and better service delivery from the political leadership and public servants.
In his speech at the 23rd National Resistance Movement victory day celebrations at Kololo Airstrip yesterday, the President urged the people to use the democracy ushered in by the Movement to demand accountability and better services.
“As a start, I am directing the Minister for the Presidency to institute publicly half-yearly Gombolola Barazas in each sub-county, chaired by the resident district commissioners. In these fora, the sub-county local government leadership must explain what resources they have received; and what results have been achieved in each and every sector,†he said.
The record of the Gombolola Barazas, he added, will be sent to the Prime Minister for overall monitoring of results, while the RDCs must ensure follow-up on all outstanding issues at the sub-county level.
“Sub-county local governments must deliver services to the people commensurate with the level of resources availed. Sub-county, district councillors and MPs must ensure that locally generated resources and transfers from the Central Government are actually transformed into better health, education, agriculture, water and road services,†he said.
The President said it was not enough for MPs to make good laws in Kampala; or for the Auditor General to investigate wastage and leakages in service delivery.
He promised to institute more ways to sensitise and empower local people to demand the services that are due to them.
“At central Government level, I have time and again talked about holding Permanent Secretaries, heads of government agencies and chief administrative officers accountable for results. This is a matter that I need to continually emphasise,†he said.
The President said implementation of Government programmes should not be held back by irresponsible accounting officers.
“Political leadership of all ministries, local governments and agencies must, henceforth, ensure that permanent secretaries, heads of agencies and chief administrative officers prepare work plans on annual and quarterly basis showing clearly what is going to be achieved with the resources that have been budgeted and allocated. This will be the basis on which reporting at the Gombolola Baraza will be,†he stressed.
He warned that he will not allow the renewal of contracts of permanent secretaries, heads of agencies, chief administrative officers, Gombolola chiefs and town clerks who cannot show the results for the resources received.
“Indeed, I will cause the dismissal of such an official. This managerial constraint must be dealt with decisively as it is now clear that resources are not the problem; but how effective bureaucrats are in the implementation of Government programmes,†he said.
In the same spirit, he charged MPs to question relevant ministers on the status of service delivery in their constituencies; and to demand remedial action if it is found lacking.
Ugandans, he added, need to see more of this kind of action from MPS instead of having them engaging in endless politicking.
He expressed optimism that with increased vigilance and scrutiny of action of public officials at all levels of government, the slow implementation can be addressed for better results with the resources at hand. This, he added, will lead to economic growth and development higher than what the country is currently witnessing.
Full speech under Museveni Address on the menu bar
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has instituted more stringent measures to stamp out corruption in government. Museveni directed the Minister for the Presidency, Beatrice Wabudeya, to set up public fora known as barazas at ,i>gombolola level (sub-county) for the local leaders to explain to the people how public funds they received were utilised.
This, the President said, would enable the people to demand full accountability and better service delivery from the political leadership and public servants.
In his speech at the 23rd National Resistance Movement victory day celebrations at Kololo Airstrip yesterday, the President urged the people to use the democracy ushered in by the Movement to demand accountability and better services.
“As a start, I am directing the Minister for the Presidency to institute publicly half-yearly Gombolola Barazas in each sub-county, chaired by the resident district commissioners. In these fora, the sub-county local government leadership must explain what resources they have received; and what results have been achieved in each and every sector,†he said.
The record of the Gombolola Barazas, he added, will be sent to the Prime Minister for overall monitoring of results, while the RDCs must ensure follow-up on all outstanding issues at the sub-county level.
“Sub-county local governments must deliver services to the people commensurate with the level of resources availed. Sub-county, district councillors and MPs must ensure that locally generated resources and transfers from the Central Government are actually transformed into better health, education, agriculture, water and road services,†he said.
The President said it was not enough for MPs to make good laws in Kampala; or for the Auditor General to investigate wastage and leakages in service delivery.
He promised to institute more ways to sensitise and empower local people to demand the services that are due to them.
“At central Government level, I have time and again talked about holding Permanent Secretaries, heads of government agencies and chief administrative officers accountable for results. This is a matter that I need to continually emphasise,†he said.
The President said implementation of Government programmes should not be held back by irresponsible accounting officers.
“Political leadership of all ministries, local governments and agencies must, henceforth, ensure that permanent secretaries, heads of agencies and chief administrative officers prepare work plans on annual and quarterly basis showing clearly what is going to be achieved with the resources that have been budgeted and allocated. This will be the basis on which reporting at the Gombolola Baraza will be,†he stressed.
He warned that he will not allow the renewal of contracts of permanent secretaries, heads of agencies, chief administrative officers, Gombolola chiefs and town clerks who cannot show the results for the resources received.
“Indeed, I will cause the dismissal of such an official. This managerial constraint must be dealt with decisively as it is now clear that resources are not the problem; but how effective bureaucrats are in the implementation of Government programmes,†he said.
In the same spirit, he charged MPs to question relevant ministers on the status of service delivery in their constituencies; and to demand remedial action if it is found lacking.
Ugandans, he added, need to see more of this kind of action from MPS instead of having them engaging in endless politicking.
He expressed optimism that with increased vigilance and scrutiny of action of public officials at all levels of government, the slow implementation can be addressed for better results with the resources at hand. This, he added, will lead to economic growth and development higher than what the country is currently witnessing.
Full speech under Museveni Address on the menu bar