assessing the effectiveness of parliamentary public accounts committees in ensuring transparency and accountability in governance: a case study of the 8-9 parliament of the republic of uganda, kampala

Description

The study aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the Parliamentary Committees in ensuring transparency and accountability in governance. Specifically, the study was set in order to meet three objectives, namely; to assess the leadership capacity of the Parliamentary Accounts Committees in ensuring transparency and accountability in Uganda‟s 8-9 Parliament, to assess the technical capacity of Parliamentary Accounts Committees in ensuring transparency and accountability in Uganda‟s 8-9 Parliaments and to assess the financial capacity of Parliamentary Accounts Committees‟ in ensuring transparency and accountability in Uganda‟s 8-9 Parliaments.Data was gathered using semi- structured questionnaires, interviewsand documentary. Data was analyzed usingthematic analysis following the main study themes and the subthemes. Narrative analysis was also used to capture some voices from the respondents in relation to their perspectives on different aspects of the study. The study found out that PAC operates independently and has a strong leadership because the chairman and other member of the committee come from the side of the opposition. It was argued this arrangement makes them oversight government who are the executioner of the budget and therefore cannot favor the government but the public. Further it was revealed PAC try to avoid operating along partisan lines, whether from majority party or from opposition parties by asking probing questions to the government which increase credibility of the committee. Further, the study found out that technically the PAC is well set with in-house technical persons who offer guidance. This include officers from Auditor General and Accountant General‟s office. Also on the financial capacity of the PAC, the study found that PAC is well placed and fully financed and facilitated by the government through the Parliamentary Commission. Their activities are fully facilitated by providing sitting allowances and other perks to motivate the members.