CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS AND ANTI-CORRUPTION EFFORTS IN UGANDA: EXAMINING THEIR IMPACT AND CHALLENGES

Description

Anti- corruption efforts have recently received major attention through the United Nation Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and currently the Sustainable Development goals (SDGs).  Increasingly, the role of civil society organizations in fighting corruption is widely celebrated, as the private and public sectors are thought to be less willing to fight corruption effectively. However, little is known about the actual performance of CSOs in fighting corruption in Uganda and the actual challenges and weaknesses from the internal and external environment of CSOs that impede the expected outcomes. This study, therefore, aimed at examining the impact of CSOs in fighting corruption in Uganda. The study clarifies the particular role of civil society institutions among a plurality of actors involved in the fight against corruption, while examining the environment through which they operate. The study adopted descriptive research design and data was collected using interviews and documentary review. A total of 57 interviews were conducted with respondents that were drawn from the main CSOs that have been engaged in the fight against corruption at national and regional levels, relevant government institutions, the media and key opinion leaders. These were sampled using purposive sampling technique. The findings reveal that that the strategies of advocacy, Monitoring and oversight of government programs have worked successfully and as a result, there is increased community awareness about corruption service delivery has improved as a result of demand for accountability from the citizens at the grass root.  It was however reported that, despite this success, corruption in Uganda remains very high and the main hindrances to Civil society activism in anti-corruption work were reported to include insecurity of CSOs and their staff, lack of support from the public and government and  technical  and technological and  resource  capacity constraints. To increase the effectiveness of CSOs in anti-corruption work, the CSOs should focus on staff capacity building, promote use of modern technology, strengthen collaboration and partnerships and enhance the good relationship with the government. The government should also provide an enabling political and legal environment to facilitate the operations of CSOs.  These findings are essential in informing the government of Uganda, the donors and CSOs about the weaknesses in the policies and processes guiding anti-corruption agencies both at local, national and international level and how they should be addressed; and in shaping the political and economic landscape of Uganda towards improved transparency and accountability