MPA7203 Local Government and Decentralization

This course is designed to enable students understand financial, political and managerial decentralization within the framework of governments, specifically local governments.  In the current era of State reforms, virtually all persons seem to agree that decentralization of government is an acceptable occurrence – governments themselves, aid donors and other international Agencies, the citizenry, public services reform and development.  The case for decentralization will be argued on both political grounds – strengthening democracy, accountability and participation by bringing government closer to its citizens – and economic grounds, enhancing efficiency and effectiveness of public service provision.  Indeed the two arguments raised are often seen as mutually reinforcing.

Course Objectives

• To assess the value of decentralization in promoting political participation, combating corruption and promoting economic growth within local government framework.
• To show that decentralization has many forms and has been adopted as a policy for a variety of different reasons.

Learning Outcomes 
Upon completion of the study of this course, students are expected to be able to: 

• Assess the success of decentralization in pursuit of a range of objectives within a local government framework.
• Make judgment about the impact of decentralization in practice against the claims of its proponents.
• Define the different approaches that government of Uganda has followed in decentralization.
• To place the territorial organization of the State in the context of popular contemporary concepts such as New Public Management (NPM) governance, good government and federalism.
• To explain the different meanings attached to decentralization.