Recentralization of Kampala City Administration in Uganda

The government disseminated a new constitution in 1995 with the provision on decentralization of Article 176 2 (b) that acted shortly before the rebirth of the local government act in 1997. Devolution as a form of decentralization transferred both political and administrative powers from the center...

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Main Authors: Nabukeera Madinah, Ali Boerhannoeddin, Raja Noriza Binti Raja Ariffin, Bwengye Michael
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2015-07-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244015591017
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author Nabukeera Madinah
Ali Boerhannoeddin
Raja Noriza Binti Raja Ariffin
Bwengye Michael
author_facet Nabukeera Madinah
Ali Boerhannoeddin
Raja Noriza Binti Raja Ariffin
Bwengye Michael
author_sort Nabukeera Madinah
collection DOAJ
description The government disseminated a new constitution in 1995 with the provision on decentralization of Article 176 2 (b) that acted shortly before the rebirth of the local government act in 1997. Devolution as a form of decentralization transferred both political and administrative powers from the center to lower local councils specially to handle the responsibility of service delivery. Following the approval of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Act 2010, the city’s administration reverted to the central government. Detractors of decentralization allege that the conveyance in the policy and legislation for change of Kampala city administration was timely because decentralization failed to deliver desired services to residents. This article contends that recentralization of Kampala city administration was a necessary evil, it decreased the autonomy of sub-national governments in civil service administration, eroded accountability to the electorates, and transferred the allegiance of the accounting officer from local governments with and for which they work to the central government that designates and positions. To inflame accountability in local governments, the article champions for the reexamining of the KCCA Act 2010 to allow power sharing between the mayor and executive director to enhance bottom-up accountability, checks and balances, and for participation of central government in appointing of executive director to allow financial and security support. It additionally requests for a reconsideration of the 9th Parliament to lobby for the amendments owing to challenges in its implementation and impact on accountability.
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spelling doaj.art-e38ed3fea4ac4dc6bd20f8af5a351b402022-12-21T18:12:47ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402015-07-01510.1177/215824401559101710.1177_2158244015591017Recentralization of Kampala City Administration in UgandaNabukeera Madinah0Ali Boerhannoeddin1Raja Noriza Binti Raja Ariffin2Bwengye Michael3Islamic University in Uganda, Mbale, UgandaUniversity of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaUniversity of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaUganda Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Kampala, UgandaThe government disseminated a new constitution in 1995 with the provision on decentralization of Article 176 2 (b) that acted shortly before the rebirth of the local government act in 1997. Devolution as a form of decentralization transferred both political and administrative powers from the center to lower local councils specially to handle the responsibility of service delivery. Following the approval of the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Act 2010, the city’s administration reverted to the central government. Detractors of decentralization allege that the conveyance in the policy and legislation for change of Kampala city administration was timely because decentralization failed to deliver desired services to residents. This article contends that recentralization of Kampala city administration was a necessary evil, it decreased the autonomy of sub-national governments in civil service administration, eroded accountability to the electorates, and transferred the allegiance of the accounting officer from local governments with and for which they work to the central government that designates and positions. To inflame accountability in local governments, the article champions for the reexamining of the KCCA Act 2010 to allow power sharing between the mayor and executive director to enhance bottom-up accountability, checks and balances, and for participation of central government in appointing of executive director to allow financial and security support. It additionally requests for a reconsideration of the 9th Parliament to lobby for the amendments owing to challenges in its implementation and impact on accountability.https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244015591017
spellingShingle Nabukeera Madinah
Ali Boerhannoeddin
Raja Noriza Binti Raja Ariffin
Bwengye Michael
Recentralization of Kampala City Administration in Uganda
SAGE Open
title Recentralization of Kampala City Administration in Uganda
title_full Recentralization of Kampala City Administration in Uganda
title_fullStr Recentralization of Kampala City Administration in Uganda
title_full_unstemmed Recentralization of Kampala City Administration in Uganda
title_short Recentralization of Kampala City Administration in Uganda
title_sort recentralization of kampala city administration in uganda
url https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244015591017
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AT rajanorizabintirajaariffin recentralizationofkampalacityadministrationinuganda
AT bwengyemichael recentralizationofkampalacityadministrationinuganda