Category: Blog

Strengthening Accountability and Transparency for Better Service Delivery

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‘Better Life Youth Forum’ is one of the advocacy Forums that were formed by the120 rural monitors who were trained by ToroDev in online advocacy, monitoring service delivery and using online social media tools like Ushahidi plat form for online documentation, visualization and mapping. The forum’s theme is“Strengthening accountability and transparency for better service delivery”with youths and women who demand for accountability and better service delivery from their local leaders in Butiiti Sub County, Kyenjojo District.

Members of Better Life Youth Forum launched their forum on 15th September 2014 at the Sub County Head Quarters of Butiiti Sub County, Kyenjojo District and invited different local leaders who were able to give accountability to over 400 local citizens.

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ICT4Democracy In East Africa Network To Participate In Inaugural Buntwani Conference

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The ICT4Democracy in East Africa network will participate in the first Buntwani conference scheduled to take place October 7–8, 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya. The conference is aimed at exploring the potential of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in strengthening citizen engagement and participation in Africa.

The network is made up of organisations pursuing projects that are tackling issues such as corruption, service delivery, respect for human rights, and civic engagement in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The shared goal is to collaboratively leverage on ICTs as tools for promoting good governance and democratisation.

As the use of ICTs in East Africa grows steadily, driven by the availability of cheaper smart phones and the popularity of social media platforms, so does the opportunity through which to utilise these very tools and platforms as avenues for transparency and accountability in governance.

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Can the Media Help Save the Peace Recovery and Development Project?

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By Emily Mullins

In early July, the Collaboration on International ICT Policy in East and Southern Africa (CIPESA) met with members of the Northern Uganda Media Club (NUMEC) to discuss the Peace Recovery and Development Project (PRDP). First launched in October 2007, the PRDP sought to improve livelihoods in post-conflict Northern Uganda. Its stated objectives were to consolidate state authority, rebuild and empower communities, revitalise the economy, and to promote peace and reconciliation.

Individual projects to achieve these objectives included enhancing the rule of law, providing equipment and logistics to strengthen law enforcement, build and staff health centres, schools, and building roads, bridges, and market facilities. The plan also claimed that in the process, it would prioritise according to the concerns of the communities within which it was working.

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Rural Monitors of Butiiti Sub County Advocate for Better Services

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ToroDev has been highly involved in mentoring and supporting the initiation and strengthening the newly formed advocacy forums to champion the demanding of improved service delivery and democratic engagements through the use of ICT4D tools in the Rwenzori Region districts. ‘

Better Youths Life Forum’ in Butiiti Sub County, Kyenjojo District is one of the advocacy forums that have been formed by the 120 rural monitors who were trained by ToroDev in online advocacy, monitoring service delivery using online social media tools like Ushahidi plat form for online documentation, visualization and mapping.

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Rwenzori Journalist Forum (RJF) Holds a Press Conference in Bundibugyo District

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Rwenzori Journalist Forum (RJF) in partnership with Bundibugyo Media Practitioners’ Forum has held the 2nd monthly press conference on 9th September 2014, at Vanilla Hotel located in Bundibugyo Town. The 1st press conference was held in Fort Portal and was organized by Tooro Media Practitioners (TOMPA) in partnership with RJF. The monthly press conference which is supported by ToroDev is aimed at improving service delivery through timely engagements between local citizens and both local and central government leaders.

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My Work As A Leader Is To Improve Service Delivery, Alex Ruhunda

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On 6th September 2014, the Member of Parliament of Fort Portal Municipality Hon Alex Ruhunda indicated his role as a leader. “My work as a leader is to deliver better services to my citizens. I did not come into office just to enjoy the opportunities, but to lobby for better services for the people of Fort Portal Municipality. People of Fort Portal need to work hard to see that our vision of having a city is realized”. Hon Alex was discussing on ToroDev’s live radio discussion called ‘Orukurato Program’, a 2hr weekly radio program that discusses issues of accountability every Saturday (08:00 – 10:00) pm.

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ToroDev Trains Rural Monitors in Online Advocacy for Improved Service Delivery

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ToroDev trained rural monitors from seven advocacy forums in the Rwenzori Region in using online tools to monitor service delivery. The maiden residential 2 days training involving seven leaders of advocacy forums, the coordinator of Rwenzori Journalist Forum and ToroDev staffs was held on 2nd – 3rd September 2012 at ToroDev resource center in Fort Portal Town. The training which is supported by ToroDev in partnership with CIDA was facilitated by Moses Owiny from WOUGNET. The training was intended to improve the skills of on line documentation and using online plat forms like Ushahidi, twitter, face book, u tube, blogging, and Skype.

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ICT4Democracy in East Africa: Promoting Democracy and Human Rights Through ICTs

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Established in 2011, ICT4Democracy in East Africa is a network of organisations working to promote democracy and human rights through Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Across the three countries, partners are leveraging on mobile short message service (SMS), toll free call centre, FM radio, social media, crowd sourcing platforms and direct community engagement to implement projects that tackle issues such as corruption, service delivery, respect for human rights, freedom of expression and access to information.

The projects are driven by the shared vision of the immense potential that ICTs have in increasing citizens’ participation in decision-making processes and strengthening democratization.

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Kabarole Leaders Give Accountability Concerning The Health Sector

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On 30th August 2014, leaders of Kabarole District appeared on HITS FM to give accountability concerning the Health Sector. “We have tried to deliver what the local citizens requested us when we were aspiring for our offices. We have built a maternity ward at Rwengaju Health Center III, and also planning to equip it with facilities like beds. We have also built a maternity ward at Nyabuswa Health Center in Mugusu Sub County, and planning to equip it with furniture”, said Hon Rwabuhinga Richard, the LCV Chairperson of Kabarole District, during ToroDev’s live radio discussion called ‘Orukurato Program’, a 2hr weekly radio program that discusses issues of accountability every Saturday (08:00 – 10:00) pm.

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Kabarole District Chairperson Gives Accountability

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On 23rd August 2014, the LC V Chairperson of Kabarole District Hon. Rwabuhinga Richard appeared on HITS FM to give accountability. “From the month of March 2014, we were visiting different sub counties of Kabarole District, giving accountability and also carrying out down ward planning. In April, we passed a budget that totaled to 28 billion which we divided among the different sectors like health, agriculture, education, management, among others. The chairman was discussing on ToroDev’s live radio discussion called ‘Orukurato Program’, a 2hr weekly radio program that discusses issues of accountability every Saturday (08:00 – 10:00) pm.

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