Information communication technology (ICT) policy and local government service delivery in Uganda: a case study of Luwero district local government

Abstract

Public service delivery in Uganda has been described as poor, inefficient and ineffective. It is often subject of ridicule because of its rigidity. There are problems of corruption, transparency and accountability, high cost of administration and wastage. The deployment of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Public Service delivery has not made much a difference. It is therefore necessary to assess ICT Policy and Local Government Service delivery in Uganda particularly in Luwero District Local Government. But specifically to assess the effect of computer access to service delivery, to establish the influence of software on service delivery, to investigate the influence of information technology on the cost of administration, to investigate the effect of ICTs on education service delivery, to establish the relationship between ICTs and service delivery in Luwero District Local Government in Uganda. The study used a combination of survey through personal interview and questionnaire to collect data from the selected sub counties staff and the respondents using both stratified, simple random and purposive sampling techniques. The data were analyzed with inferential statistical tools. The finding from public servants views showed that ICT has a significant relationship with delivery of service and that the performance, effective service delivery, transparency and accountability with a P=0.001 which is significant at 5% error bound. This is the same case with Internet increase on the services delivery to the local service delivery with P=0.002l at 5% errors bound. The same was the case for timely delivery of information with P=0.0001 as well as information dissemination with P-values 0.0061. However for cost reduction, it is not significant though it thee was in impact of the reduction on the costs and wastage. This insignificancy can be attributed to higher cost of the surfing bundle. It is recommended that the use of ICT should be encouraged and expanded in Luwero District Local Government. The government should give priority to the strategies that will increase the grounds for an effective and transparent public service delivery that gets every day closer to citizens of Uganda at reduced cost.