Children fetch water from a stream in Budaka Town Council. PHOTO/FILE
|EU project to improve project monitoring
What you need to know:
- The project will be piloted in the districts of Kibuku and Budaka in Eastern Uganda as well as in Maracha and Yumbe in West Nile.
A three-year project aimed at empowering communities in the eastern region to demand accountability from their leaders is in the offing.
The project dubbed, ‘Strengthening Grassroot Social Accountability’ is being funded by the European Union (EU) to the tune of Shs2.5 billion.
It will be piloted in the districts of Kibuku and Budaka in Eastern Uganda as well as in Maracha and Yumbe in West Nile.
During the inception meeting held at Marple Cottage, Kamonkoli in Budaka District on Monday, the senior programme Associate, Ms Julliet Akello, said the project is tailored to contribute and improve capacity of citizens to hold government accountable for good governance and better service delivery in the beneficiary regions.
“The project will increase citizens’ demand for social accountability and good governance and as well enhance the responsiveness of local people,” she said.
It will be implemented by Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) in partnership with the Pallisa Civil Society Organisation Network (PACONET) and West Nile Regional Civil Society (WUCISNET).
Ms Akello explained that in Budaka, the project will be undertaken in Lyama and Kaderuna while in Kibuku, it will be implemented in Tirinyi and Bulangira.
In Maracha District, it will be implemented in the sub-counties of Olufe and Tara while in Yumbe, it will be in Yumbe Town Council and Kei Sub-county.
She challenged the community to monitor and supervise any government projects that come to their respective areas in order to make a fundamental change.
Leaders speak
The Kibuku District chairperson, Mr Muhamad Nakeba, said the communities need to be sensitised to know their rights and roles.
“Once communities have been empowered, definitely they will mount pressure on their leaders for better services,” he said.
Mr Nakeba explained that the persistent shoddy work experienced at different projects is that most communities were ignorant about their rights to demand.
The Kibuku Resident District Commissioner, Ms Harriet Nakamya, said the community members do not know that it is their right to monitor government programmes.
“Most times people shy away, thinking these are government projects and yet these projects are intended to benefit them,” Ms Nakamya said.
