KABALE – The Professor of Governance at Kabale University in South western Uganda in Kabale District, Sabiti Makara has called for a reassessment of the fiscal policy mandating local Governments to remit all collected revenue to the central Government.
Renowned for his contributions to the 1994 Constituent Assembly with extensive research on governance, Prof Makara recently transitioned from Makerere University to Kabale University.
The urgency in his plea stemmed from the February 2020 directive issued by the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury at the Ministry of Finance. This directive, compelling local Governments to remit all revenue to the consolidated fund for centralized management, has faced widespread criticism for impeding local service delivery. Despite numerous appeals to reverse this directive, it appears to have fallen on deaf ears within the government corridors.
Addressing a diverse audience comprising academia, students, civil society, civil servants, and the general public at Kabale University packed Kikungiri Main hall in his inaugural professorial lecture, Prof. Makara argued that the government’s withdrawal of autonomy for local Governments to manage their revenue undermines the essence of decentralization.
He pointed out that Municipal Divisions, especially at the lower local government levels, bear the brunt of delayed funds redistribution, hindering effective service delivery due to financial constraints.
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In agreement with Prof. Makara, Robert Kakuru Byamugisha, the Executive Director of Kick Corruption out of Uganda (KICK-U), a civil society organization dedicated to combating corruption, concurred that funds remitted to the consolidated fund were sometimes mismanaged. Such funds, he claimed, were diverted to purposes unrelated to the concerns of local Governments.
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Meanwhile, Prof. Joy Constance Kwesiga, the Vice Chancellor of Kabale University, emphasized the significance of professorial lectures as symbols of growth and progress for academics. She praised Prof. Makara as a highly informed and experienced member of the academia, bringing valuable expertise to the university.
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