Monitor the performance of your district and demand accountability

If there was a wave of citizens across the county putting pressure on those stealing public funds, we shall begin to see an improvement in service delivery in this county.

According to Article 38(1) of the 1995 Constitution, every Uganda citizen has the right to participate in the affairs of government, including demanding financial accountability. It is every citizen’s right to know how their government manages their funds; but most importantly, the district and even your sub-county.

The Auditor General (AG) is mandated by the Constitution to audit all the accounts of government and report on their performance. The AG’s reports have a lot of information that citizens and communities can use to demand accountability.

But usually, citizens do not take time to even look through such reports and instead wait for Parliament to discuss them, which usually takes a long time and those who have abused taxpayers’ money continue to live luxurious lives at the expense of the poor.

In Uganda, public audits are carried out on a yearly basis and the findings are summarised in audit reports.

Public audit is a periodic activity, which critically examines the accounting records and financial statements of the government. It is a major component of the control system in public administration that helps prevent financial and administrative irregularities. It is until the citizens take action to find out what is being reported in these reports and take action that better use of public funds will be achieved.

Most of the AG’s reports are published online every year; as a citizen, take time off and look at the performance of your district and sub-county and where the AG has queried some expenditure, do a follow-up.

Talk to your councillor and demand that the report is discussed in council meetings. Also, push your Member of Parliament to follow up the findings/recommendations of the AG in your district.

If there was a wave of citizens across the county putting pressure on those stealing public funds, we shall begin to see an improvement in service delivery in this county.

It is time the citizens of this country take action by holding their leaders accountable. It is your money that is being misused, and it is our right and duty to demand what belongs to our communities and country.
One man once said the best way to keep something from an African is keeping it in a book which, to an extent, is true because a lot of information about queried use of public funds is availed in books and online but because of our poor reading culture, most times such information goes unnoticed.

It is time we moved from being complacent and hold those who abuse public resources accountable. This must involve all the citizens of this county; let’s use the tools that have been availed to us by our government and begin to reclaim what belongs to us and prosecute those who have abused office.

Irene Achola is a researcher,
Kampala