Service provider and watchdog

Can civil society work together with government to deliver services to the communities and at the same time function as watchdogs monitoring the authorities? Morten Ranum, IATM, explores the Ugandan set-up

Civil society has the will to interact with local government and we have several interests in local government. One is funding of activities. Another is helping each other to accomplish common goals like sensitising the public in order to make people participate in society. Also we want to challenge local authorities to become better leaders and provide good services to the public.

Civil society has an identity as watchdogs. We want to guard government institutions and ensure that officials are acting in a good way. A watchdog can bark and bite. But who does it attack and why? It is supposed to protect an area or specific interests. If somebody trespasses or violates it, the watchdog will attack. But it is difficult to bite a friend. This might be one reason why civil society rarely bites local government. But we can shout.

Conditions for civil society

Anti Corruption Coalition Uganda, ACCU, is a national umbrella for organizations fighting corruption. ACCU believes that it is important for civil society to be watchdogs. Geoffrey Rwakabale, the Co-ordinator, explains that there are serious conflicts in the legal system. The Local Government Act allows civil society to operate, but it also gives local government jurisdiction to regulate civil society. This means that civil society acts under the mercy of local government.

He continues describing the changes that civil society will face. The control of local government is being centralised. According to the White Paper, RDCs and CAOs will be appointed by central government. This will restrain civil society. According to Geoffrey Rwakabale civil society should not give up being watchdogs, but civil society has to be better organized. Civil society must emphasize on membership in the communities where they work and use it to pressure local government. Also civil society must unite in national umbrella organizations that can protect against violation of rights.

Avoiding conflict

Japhes Mukiibi-Biimbwa, MS Uganda Program Officer says that there is not necessarily a conflict between working with local government and being watchdogs. The challenge is to create close relationships between local government and civil society so that both parties get something out of it and nobody can afford to pull out.

In Gukwatamanzi Farmers Association, GFA, however, they have a different experience. James Musinguzi says, that they can’t criticize local government, although GFA has a lot of co-operation with local government. GFA chooses to e.g. initiate projects and little by little convince the authorities to participate or take over. For instance, GFA started Bokwe Primary School, which now is fully run by local government.