Conference Presentations by Winifred Nabakiibi
Masters Thesis, 2008
“A policy is not finished after its political design or discursive phrasing. Rather, policies ar... more “A policy is not finished after its political design or discursive phrasing. Rather, policies are subject to a continuing process of production and promotion aiming to mobilize and maintain political consent among the epistemic community to which they are directed and which they shape”(Haas, 1992).
The appropriate level for providing water services remains highly debated as many countries seek for sustainable approaches to the provision of water services. Many countries have experimented with Local Government provision of water services and for a long time, researchers and experts argued the benefits that would accrue from providing services at ‘the lowest appropriate level’ considering the involvement of local leadership as crucial to efficient water services delivery. Recent developments in the water sector seem to show a shift from local provision to ‘centralised’ provision of services.
This research contributes to the discussion on the factors that influence this shift using empirical evidence from eight urban water authorities in Uganda. Management of these has been transferred from Local Governments to the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), a Government owned public parastatal. The study analyses the factors that have influenced the management transfer and the impact of the transfer, both on the towns and on the National Water Utility. The study also endeavors to identify the ‘winners and losers’ of this process. While the original aim of transferring management was to prepare ground for private sector involvement in water services provision through a lease, management transfer of urban water services has continued despite the absence of the lease.
The study revealed that the factors influencing management transfer vary for different phases of transfers. While the first phase was driven by political interests, the second phase was in the interest of the utility to grow and the latest phase is driven by the need to secure investments made in the towns where the National Utility is trusted to be a better custodian of the investments than the Local Governments. The towns transferred are seen to enjoy the benefits of fiscal redistribution under the National Utility while the National Utility grows as a result of additional towns. The impact of these additional towns on the National utility is cushioned by investment in the towns prior to transfer. The transfer of responsibility is favored by the water sector legislation which allows room for maneuver, making it possible for the minister to appoint a new water authority as he deems fit. The research also highlights the role played by international financing agencies in influencing the direction of policy and practice.
The administrative strategy in Uganda’s urban water sector is Distributed Institutional Monopoly in as far as management of the large commercially viable town water systems is concerned. In essence, the National Utility is not obliged to share power with the local authorities and these together with the local private water operators lose potential profit-earning operations to the National Water Utility.
Key Words: Water supply and sanitation, Policy analysis, Sector reform, Uganda
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Conference Presentations by Winifred Nabakiibi
The appropriate level for providing water services remains highly debated as many countries seek for sustainable approaches to the provision of water services. Many countries have experimented with Local Government provision of water services and for a long time, researchers and experts argued the benefits that would accrue from providing services at ‘the lowest appropriate level’ considering the involvement of local leadership as crucial to efficient water services delivery. Recent developments in the water sector seem to show a shift from local provision to ‘centralised’ provision of services.
This research contributes to the discussion on the factors that influence this shift using empirical evidence from eight urban water authorities in Uganda. Management of these has been transferred from Local Governments to the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), a Government owned public parastatal. The study analyses the factors that have influenced the management transfer and the impact of the transfer, both on the towns and on the National Water Utility. The study also endeavors to identify the ‘winners and losers’ of this process. While the original aim of transferring management was to prepare ground for private sector involvement in water services provision through a lease, management transfer of urban water services has continued despite the absence of the lease.
The study revealed that the factors influencing management transfer vary for different phases of transfers. While the first phase was driven by political interests, the second phase was in the interest of the utility to grow and the latest phase is driven by the need to secure investments made in the towns where the National Utility is trusted to be a better custodian of the investments than the Local Governments. The towns transferred are seen to enjoy the benefits of fiscal redistribution under the National Utility while the National Utility grows as a result of additional towns. The impact of these additional towns on the National utility is cushioned by investment in the towns prior to transfer. The transfer of responsibility is favored by the water sector legislation which allows room for maneuver, making it possible for the minister to appoint a new water authority as he deems fit. The research also highlights the role played by international financing agencies in influencing the direction of policy and practice.
The administrative strategy in Uganda’s urban water sector is Distributed Institutional Monopoly in as far as management of the large commercially viable town water systems is concerned. In essence, the National Utility is not obliged to share power with the local authorities and these together with the local private water operators lose potential profit-earning operations to the National Water Utility.
Key Words: Water supply and sanitation, Policy analysis, Sector reform, Uganda
The appropriate level for providing water services remains highly debated as many countries seek for sustainable approaches to the provision of water services. Many countries have experimented with Local Government provision of water services and for a long time, researchers and experts argued the benefits that would accrue from providing services at ‘the lowest appropriate level’ considering the involvement of local leadership as crucial to efficient water services delivery. Recent developments in the water sector seem to show a shift from local provision to ‘centralised’ provision of services.
This research contributes to the discussion on the factors that influence this shift using empirical evidence from eight urban water authorities in Uganda. Management of these has been transferred from Local Governments to the National Water and Sewerage Corporation (NWSC), a Government owned public parastatal. The study analyses the factors that have influenced the management transfer and the impact of the transfer, both on the towns and on the National Water Utility. The study also endeavors to identify the ‘winners and losers’ of this process. While the original aim of transferring management was to prepare ground for private sector involvement in water services provision through a lease, management transfer of urban water services has continued despite the absence of the lease.
The study revealed that the factors influencing management transfer vary for different phases of transfers. While the first phase was driven by political interests, the second phase was in the interest of the utility to grow and the latest phase is driven by the need to secure investments made in the towns where the National Utility is trusted to be a better custodian of the investments than the Local Governments. The towns transferred are seen to enjoy the benefits of fiscal redistribution under the National Utility while the National Utility grows as a result of additional towns. The impact of these additional towns on the National utility is cushioned by investment in the towns prior to transfer. The transfer of responsibility is favored by the water sector legislation which allows room for maneuver, making it possible for the minister to appoint a new water authority as he deems fit. The research also highlights the role played by international financing agencies in influencing the direction of policy and practice.
The administrative strategy in Uganda’s urban water sector is Distributed Institutional Monopoly in as far as management of the large commercially viable town water systems is concerned. In essence, the National Utility is not obliged to share power with the local authorities and these together with the local private water operators lose potential profit-earning operations to the National Water Utility.
Key Words: Water supply and sanitation, Policy analysis, Sector reform, Uganda