Local citizens have requested their leaders to first focus on priority service delivery to enable their electorates benefit from their leadership, “we need our leaders to first focus on key service delivery areas like roads, health and schools because in many of our areas like Buheesi [Buheesi Sub County is located in Kabarole District] service delivery is poor therefore our leaders haven’t performed to their expectations” Said Asaba Charles, a local citizen from Buheesi Sub County, Kabarole Ditrict while participating on the listeners forum live radio discussion on Better FM on Saturday, 11th January 2015.
Asaba adds, “Most of the roads in Kabarole district were very impassable during the last rainy season and when the roads are poor, the transport costs increase, investors also fear to invest in the area which affects economic development. The health sector is even worse in-terms of service delivery because there are no drugs and the best medicine they always have is panadol and as you know when someone goes for a free service in a public hospital, it means that they have no money to buy drugs. If leaders give local citizens good services, their livelihoods will highly improve.
A poor road in Kicwamba Sub County, Kabarole District
The live radio discussion which is supported by ToroDev in partnership with Better FM also allows listeners to participate through call-ins, SMS and online. Keneema Revocate participated on facebook and indicated that the poor performance of schools is because of poor roads because many students fail to go to school due to poor roads. Ngabirwa from Bundibugyo called-in and said that the poor service delivery is a result of leaders failing to come back and consult the electorates on their priority service delivery needs.
Harriet from Kyenjojo district called in and indicated that Kyabaranga Primary School is performing poorly because the head teacher has never been transferred despite the poor performance of the school. She also indicated that many local citizens are facing a problem of poor service delivery because they nolonger hold meetings and only use opportunities like burials and weddings to communicate with their electorates.
Benon called-in and said that the poor service delivery is a result of local citizens not understanding the roles of their leaders because sometimes they ask for too much.
The live radio discussion is supported by SIDA/CIPESA and NED on a project aimed at using appropriate ICT tools to improve service delivery.