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Why National Water was voted best.
Posted
on 2009-02-03
The Weekly Observer, Tuesday, 23rd December, 2008
Written by Julius A. Murinzi
Throughout
much of Africa, there is now widespread awareness that enhanced public
service delivery is the hallmark of responsive governance.
Equally important is the recognition that the level and quality of
public services is as important as the values of ethics and
accountability of public institutions that deliver these services.
Indeed, maintaining appropriate ethical standards and accountability of
public service institutions have become a litmus test of the commitment
of African governments to the norms of good governance and responsible
leadership. The concern for ethics and accountability for enhanced
public service delivery in Africa is all the more legitimate because
coupled with the efficient and effective provision of public services,
this important parameter of good governance earns African states
legitimacy and popular support from their peoples.
Back home, this year, National Water and Sewerage Corporation, under
the enlightened leadership of Dr. William Muhairwe, emerged Uganda’s
most honest public institution, according to a survey, commissioned by
the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) and carried out by REEV Consult
International. The rest, Traffic Police, Police (general), Umeme, Lands
Office, KCC, Courts of Law, etc, emerged the most corrupt and
dishonest. Wait a minute! What about our famous NSSF?
The lack of accountability, unethical behaviour and corrupt practices
have become so pervasive, and even institutionalised norms of behaviour
in Uganda that one may conveniently speak of a crisis of ethics in
Ugandan public institutions. While one could single out a few
countries, such as Namibia and Botswana, in which ‘tolerable’ levels of
corruption exist, unfortunately the opposite is true in Uganda. Aside
from outright bribery, patronage, nepotism, embezzlement, influence
peddling, use of one’s position for self-enrichment, bestowing of
favours on relatives and friends, moonlighting, partiality,
absenteeism, late coming, abuse of public property, leaking and/or
abuse of government information, and so on, are common manifestations
of this plight.
An important explanation for the loss of the professional integrity of
Ugandan public institutions has been the widespread use of shady
personnel practices. For example, promotions in the professional
category, such as university graduates or graduates from Public
Administration Institutes are not based on performance or degree of
efficiency in carrying out work. There are no clear and objective
criteria for staff evaluation. As such, it is not the most competent
and hard working who are promoted but the politically well connected.
As a result, the most competent and honest staff get discouraged by
what happens around them and do not hesitate to resort to corrupt
practices to get even.
Dr. Muhairwe, together with his team, has put in place policies and
strategies to promote ethical behaviour and accountability at NWSC.
They have created enabling conditions to enhance professional and
ethical standards in delivery of services, institutionalised
professional and merit-based public service career systems,
decentralised water and sewerage services to promote accountability and
responsiveness in service delivery, enforced strict ethical and
accountability standards on NWSC area managers, incorporated
Ethics/Citizenship/Civics education as part of civil service training,
and most importantly, Dr. Muhairwe has instituted preventive measures
to combat corrupt practices and unethical values at National Water and
Sewerage Corporation. This is what has made NWSC trustworthy. This is
why Dr. Muhairwe remains the best manager in our country’s history!
The obvious negative impact of graft on productivity, the
responsiveness, legitimacy and transparency of government, the
effective implementation of policies and efforts to bring about
recovery and development in general dictate that concerted action by
all concerned must be taken to deal with this debilitating problem.
Dealing successfully with this phenomenon requires a deeper
understanding of its underlying causes. Because recruitment in the
civil service has been and still is very much influenced by patronage
and political factors, the loyalties, commitment and actions of public
officials are often guided and shaped by their primordial loyalties
rather than the requirements of impartial professionalism. The
sprawling nature of the state, its over-extended control over economic
matters and the licensing and approval powers with which public
officials are invested, have created greater opportunities for the
abuse of office for self-enrichment.
The Ugandan people have always wanted and expected public services that
are effective and delivered efficiently, but increasingly issues of
equity are critical as well. Good public management and administration,
with emphasis on accountability and responsiveness to customer needs,
can be seen as an aspect of good governance. Good governance consists
of a public service that is efficient, a judicial system that is
reliable and an administration that is accountable to the public.
Congratulations, Dr. Muhairwe!
Julius A. Murinzi, The writer is Founder/President of the Ben Carson
Foundation based in Boston-Massachusetts, USA.
Julius@bencarsonfoundation.com |
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Copyright © 2008, National Water & Sewerage Corporation | Plot 39, Jinja Road, P.O. Box 7053 Kampala, Uganda
Tel: (+) 256 414 315100 / 0312 260 414/5, Fax: (+) 256 414 258 299 / 345 531, E-mail: info@nwsc.co.ug |
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