Balancing Rural Poverty Reduction and Citizen Participation: The Contradictions of Uganda’s Decentralization Program
Author(s)
Francis, Paul; James, Robert
Abstract
Uganda’s ambitious decentralization program is analyzed in terms of a “Dual-Mode” system of local governance. Under a “technocratic mode,” conditional funding from the center is earmarked for particular programs but with little local participation. In contrast, the “patronage mode” is an elaborate system for local “bottom-up” planning, but with limited resources, which are largely consumed in administrative costs and political emoluments. Along with the spoils of a committee system controlling contracts and appointments, these resources provide the means for building political alliances and loyalty. In the absence of a culture of transparency and civic engagement to assure downward accountability, it remains to be seen whether decentralization can promote both efficient service delivery and local empowerment simultaneously.
