Budget Transparency in Uganda to be achieved through ICT?

During her Budget speech for the financial year 2014/15, the Minister of Finance caught my attention when she reached the section entitled “Budget Transparency and Accountability.”

 

To quote verbatim, “Madam Speaker, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development continues to publish the quarterly releases to all Government Departments and Agencies in the print media. I call upon Hon. Members of Parliament and the public to take keen interest in this information and use it to monitor the implementation of Government programmes and utilization of tax payers’ money.

 

During the year, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development launched the Budget Information Website which provides all budget related data. The budget information on the website provides the performance of Government programmes by locality, and serves as a platform for the public to provide feedback and report any information related to implementation of the national budget.

Madam Speaker, in the next year, budget transparency will be enhanced by working closely with the Civil Society. The Ministry of Finance is establishing an SMS system and Hotline for the public to air their views, seek responses from Government agencies on implementation of public programmes, and whistle-blow irregularities in public financial management.”

 

There have always been cries about Government openness and accountability for monies spent. It is therefore interesting to see the direction being taken by the Ministry of Finance in trying to get the masses to know what is happening. Its also worth noting that Information and Communication Technologies are at the center of this effort. The use of an SMS system, a hotline and website to avail information out there is a very brilliant start.

 

Now one may claim that the chosen media is inaccessible to most of the Ugandans so once again this effort is worthless and will not be of use to the peasant. I beg to differ. I think the lack of interest to participate in policing the Government by the citizens is the key problem here. Most people have given up and retreated into the thinking that corruption and accountability will need to be addressed by 'someone up there.'

 

Information is power, I have been impressed by how information shared on social media like facebook can very easily reach rural corners and this is mainly spread by the youth who are heavy users of this media. Why then cant the very youth disperse information about budgetary allocations to the Local Governments if they obtained it online? A visit to the Budget Monitoring Website reveals that the site has three tools that allow you to access information on;

1. The National Budget: Access information on Central Government Agencies

2. The Local Budget: Access information on how resources are allocated and utilised upto the Paris Level

3. The Budget Library: Search and access important budget documents from the National, Sector and Local Government levels.

With the proliferation of smart phones, it shouldn't be too hard for the Ugandan with access to the internet to put their leaders on the spot.

 

The SMS System and Hotline being planned will also go a long way to improve feedback collection and interactivity with the citizenry. If this effort can be amalgamated with that of AskYour Gov, an initiative that is creating awareness and enabling citizens to utilise their rights embedded in the Access to Information Act 2006. One can request for information from any Government department or agency and it is expected that feedback will be availed accordingly.

These ICT led efforts towards Government Accountability are commendable. The main action areas will be;

• Government to ensure proper publicity of the efforts and not keep silent in order to get good citizen participation. 

• Integration of these initiatives with already existing efforts like Ureport in order to get maximum benefits.

• Carrying out the appropriate sensitisation within the Government to ensure that the staff can change their ways and views towards being held accountable by the citizens.

All said and done, this is our greatest opportunity as the citizens to reach out steer the destiny of our country without having to expect others to do it on our behalf. Anything that goes wrong affects all of us so why not collectively work towards making it go right?