The Role of Vertical Openness Communication in Enhancing Fiscal Decentralisation in Uganda

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume III, Issue VI, June 2019 | ISSN 2454–6186

The Role of Vertical Openness Communication in Enhancing Fiscal Decentralisation in Uganda

Kato Hussein Munuulo, Kagambirwe Karyeija Gerald

Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda

Abstract:-Fiscal decentralisation has become a central concern globally. This has prompted developing countries to turn to fiscal decentralisation in various forms as an escape from inefficient and ineffective governance. Therefore this study is occasioned by the fact that there is scarcity of empirical studies in developing countries such as Uganda that investigate the interactions between vertical openness communications enhancing fiscal decentralisation at institutional levels. The major objective of this study is to establish the relationship between vertical openness and fiscal decentralisation in Busoga sub region Government Aided Primary Schools in Eastern Uganda. This study adopted a cross sectional design under a quantitative domain and a sample of 314 respondents was used. The data was analysed using spss software version 20. The finding of the study indicated that the association between vertical openness and fiscal decentralization is positive and significant which implies that vertical openness supportive communication improves fiscal decentralisation. The study recommends that Central Governments should streamline communication to ensure that the Lowest Accounting Officers especially Head teachers are able to obtain information on new guidelines for funds use promptly through circulars, setup public information centres in local and urban areas, use modern social media platform among others.

Key words: Vertical openness, Fiscal decentralization, Communication, Local Government, Public Primary Schools

I. INTRODUCTION

Fiscal decentralisation is the multi-faceted process of central government transferring decision making powers concerning public finance to sub national government covering expenditure and revenue sides of decentralisation (Gu, 2012). Uganda is one of those countries that have since embarked on fiscal decentralisation (Namakula & Buye, 2007) being one of the most important administrative reform with tenacity since independence in 1962 (Saxena, sohini & Goel, 2010). Fiscal decentralisation involves changing control and responsibility in the management of funds with a shift from the central government to subnational governments of the lower government units such as schools, hospitals, and sub counties among others. (Poschl & Weingast 2015). Under the said arrangement, finances are periodically disbursed from the center to the lower local government so that.

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