Organizational conflict and service delivery in urban local governments in Wakiso District, Uganda

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of organizational conflict on service delivery in selected Urban Town Councils of Wakiso District using three objectives namely to establish the effects of political conflict on service delivery; to examine how administrative conflicts affect service delivery, and to establish the effect of financial conflict on service delivery. Literature was reviewed about organization conflicts and service delivery using secondary sources. cross sectional survey design was adopted supported by two approaches namely qualitative and quantitative. From the three Town Councils, a population of 81 was identified and a sample of 62 respondents drawn. Data was elicited using interviews, documentary review and questionnaires. The response rate of over 70% was obtained. The study established that political conflicts (-.072*) negatively affected service delivery while administrative (.018**) and financial conflicts (.319**) positively affected service delivery in selected town councils of Wakiso District. The study concluded that political fighting among multiparty systems prolonged debates and caused delays in the delivery of service delivery while mechanisms in place to deter political conflicts were less effective while failure to accomplish assigned responsibilities, laxity in supervision and communication breakdown caused administrative conflicts and service delivery gaps. Low revenue mobilization, allocation of resources to less priority areas and delays in accounting for funds advanced derailed timely service delivery in selected town councils of Wakiso District. The study recommended that reconciliation committees be established, use more trainings, adherence to the prevailing finance regulations was important while use of vote book by councillors was emphasized. Adoption of electronic technologies for instance E-banking, use mobile money would be welcome within the Town Councils.