Technical – politics dichotomy in Mid-Western Uganda: Interrelationship between municipal councillors and administrators in service delivery

https://doi.org/10.35912/amor.v2i2.856
Published: Nov 25, 2020

Abstract:

Purpose: This study aimed to analyse the interrelationships between municipal councillors and administrators in municipal councils in mid-western Uganda.

Research Methodology: The study took a case study design, which was adopted by seeing that the problem under investigation involved a rigorous inquiry of the multiple elements that contribute to the uniqueness of public service delivery. A sample of 48 was realised from a population of 55; these were selected using the proportionate stratified sampling technique followed by a simple random sample for each of the strata. A questionnaire was used to seek opinions from both municipal councillors and administrators regarding interrelationships and public service delivery. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics to generate Means (µ) and Standard Deviations.

Results: Results suggest that the degree of interrelationship between the two stakeholders is poor for municipal councillors, yet they ought to represent the voting population; the level of municipal service delivery is average a non-linear association concerning the interrelationships between municipal councillors and administrators on public service delivery in municipal councils in mid-western Uganda

Limitations: This study was only concentrated in mid-western Uganda, yet the country has 41 municipalities suggesting that the results are not representative of the conditions in the whole country.

Contribution: The results of this study can be useful to both locally elected councillors and the appointed administrators serving at Municipalities in Uganda by aiding them to improve work-relationship for better service delivery.

Keywords:
1. Municipal councillor
2. Administrators
3. Interrelationship
4. Public service delivery
Authors:
David Mwesigwa
Department of Public Administration and Management, Lira University, Lira, Uganda
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Mwesigwa, D. (2020). Technical – politics dichotomy in Mid-Western Uganda: Interrelationship between municipal councillors and administrators in service delivery. Annals of Management and Organization Research, 2(2), 129–144. https://doi.org/10.35912/amor.v2i2.856
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Issue & Section
Vol. 2 No. 2 (2020): November
Articles
References

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  2. Biljohn, M.I.M., and Lues, L. (2020). Citizen participation, social innovation, and the governance of local government service delivery: findings from South Africa. International journal of public administration, 43(3).229-41.
  3. Bulthuis, S.E., Kok, M.C., Amon, S., Agyemang, S.A., Nsabagasani, X., Sanudi, L., Raven, J., Finn, M., Grold, J., Tulloch, O., and Dieleman, M.A. (2020). How district health decision-making is shaped within decentralised contexts: a qualitative research in Malawi, Uganda and Ghana. Global public health, doi: 10.1080/17441692.2020.1791213
  4. Dahlgoord, J.J., Reyes, L., Chen, C., and Dahlgaard-Park, S.M. (2019). Evolution and future of total quality management: management control and organisational learning. Total quality management & business excellence, 30(sup1).S1-S16.
  5. Das, M., ad Chattopadhyay, S. (2020). Understanding peoples' participation in urban local government in west Bengal. Development in practice, 30(1).68-79.
  6. Douglas, S., Hood, C., Overmans, T., and Scheepers, F. (2019). Gaming the system: building an online management game to spread and gather insights into the dynamics of performance systems. Public management review, 21(10).1560-76.
  7. Engdaw, B.D. (2020). The impact of quality public service delivery on customer satisfaction in Bahir city administration: the case of Ginbot 20 Sub-city. International journal of public administration, 43(7).644-54.
  8. Freeman, R. (2020). The role of the councillor and the work of meeting. Local government studies, 46(4). 564-82.
  9. Galanti, M.T., and Turri, M. (2020). Accountability in local public utilities. Not only corporate governance. International journal of public administration, doi: 10.1080/01900692.2020.1739075
  10. Gebresenbet, F., and Kamski, B. (2019). The paradox of the Ethiopian developmental state: administrators and politicians in the sugar industry. Journal of contemporary African studies, 37(4).335-50.
  11. Ghrmay, T. (2020). New public management and path dependence in public organisation in ethiopia: a multiple case study. In Debele, B., Bouckaert, G., Warota, M., Gemechu, D., Hondeghem, A., Steen, T., et al. (Eds.), Public administration in Ethiopia: case studies and lessons for sustainable development (pp.251-78). Leuven (Belgium): Leuven University press. Doi: 10.2307/j.ctv19m65dr.16.
  12. Ginsburg, C., and Keene, S. (2020). At a crossroads: consequential trends in recognition of community-based forest tenure from 2002-2017. China economic journal, 13(2). 223-48.
  13. Hall, J., Donelle, L., Rudman, D.L., Baumann, J., Weaver, H., Jone, R., Moulton-Sauve, M., Jenkins, K., and Trudell, A. (2020). "It is important for everyone as humans to feel important, Right?" Findings from a community-based participatory needs assessment with street-level sex workers. Social work in public health, 35(1-2). 33-46.
  14. Jani, R., Alias, A.A., and Tumin, M. (2020). Persons with disabilities' education and quality of life: evidence from Malaysia. International journal of inclusive education, doi: 10.1080/13603116.2020.1726511
  15. Kluczewska, K. (2019). Questioning local ownership: insights from donor-funded NGOs in Tajikistan. Journal of civil society, 15(4). 353-72.
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  17. Lapsley, I., and Segato, F. (2019). Citizens, technology and the NPM movement. Public money & management, 39(8). 553-59.
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  20. Manyak, T.G., and Katono, I.W. (2020). Decentralisation and conflict in Uganda: governance adrift. African studies quarterly, 11(4). Summer.
  21. McSweeney, M., and Safai, P. (2020). Innovating Canadian sport policy: towards new public management and public entrepreneurship? International journal of sport policy and politics, 12(3). 405-21.
  22. Misopoulos, F., Argyropoulou, R., Manthou, V., Argyropoulou, M., and Kelmend, I. (2020). Carbon emissions of bottled water sector supply chains: a multiple case-study approach. International journal of logistics research and applications, 23(2). 178-94.
  23. Mok, K.H., Chan, C.K., and Wen, Z. (2020). Searching for new welfare governance in China: contracting out social service and impact on government-NGOs relationship. Journal of Asian public policy, Doi: 10.1080/17516234.2020.1778245
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  29. Papenfuß, U., and Keppeler, F. (2020). Does performance-related pay and public service motivation research treat state-owned enterprises like a neglected Cinderella? A systematic literature review and agenda for future research on performance effects. New public management review, 22(7). 1119-45.
  30. Parliament of the Republic of Uganda, (2020). MPs drop education requirements local leaders. Kampala.
  31. Pill, M., and Guarneros-Meza, V. (2020). The everyday local state? Opening up and closing down informality in local governance. Local government studies, 46(4).542-63.
  32. Republic of Uganda (2013). Principles of service delivery in Uganda's local governments. Ministry of local government, Kampala.
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  38. Spirandelli, D., Dean, T., Babcock Jr, R., and Braich, E. (2019). Policy gap analysis of decentralised wastewater management on a developed pacific island. Journal of environmental planning and management, 62(14). 2506-28.
  39. Twanley, I., Dempsey, M., and Keane, N. (2020). An open dialogue-informed approach to mental health service delivery: experiences of service users and support networks. Journal of mental health, doi: 10.1080/09638237.2020.1739238
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