WOMEN AND MEN WHO DARE TO CHALLENGE CORRUPT GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

Transparency and accountability are the heart of good governance. Yet in Uganda, many times funds that are allocated to public sector services get lost in hands of public servants leading to an appalling state of service. So what happens when community members visit health center and find no medicine or children go to school but barely find a teacher in the classroom? For any country to develop, people must collectively demand for accountability from their leaders.

Meet the men and women of Awach Sub County Gulu district that have rolled up their sleeves to monitor government services in selected communities under the Village Budget Clubs program. These community members have learned that they have the right to demand for accountability of better infrastructure, Healthcare, agriculture and education.

In Gwengdiya community in Awach Sub County Gulu district, the VBCs visited Pugwinyi health center II, and Bucoro Primary School and Olel Primary School in Pukony.

When the VBCs first visited, they found no teachers in school because of the high levels of late coming and absenteeism by both teachers and pupils. The teachers came at their own time most of them arrived at 10am and left by 3pm. But now, teachers in Bucoro primary school keep time, staff houses were built within the school premises, there is improved transparency, improved book keeping and consistent Annual General Meetings have been organized in Bucoro primary school in Gwengdiya parish.

After the monitoring visit in Paibona health centre II, and Pugwinyi health center II, Gwengdiya parish, the nurses are not as hostile as they used to be, all the medical staff report for work on time and adequate drugs are now brought to the health center because they know that there are people watching.

FOWODE is committed to continue empowering the communities in demanding for their rights, quality services, equality and good governance. Under the VBC model; a club monitors public facilities and then meets with the community to discuss the monitoring findings. The community comes up with resolutions that are presented the leaders during an interface meeting.

However, these monitoring groups often meet resistance from some sub county and district leaders, pressure from the community who get frustrated when the report recommendations are not considered immediately. Sometimes the community members insult and verbally abuse the members of the VBCs because they cannot see the results. 

Despite these challenges, the VBCs are not about to give up the fight.  

The Masindi VBCs listening to a deliberation during an interface meeting