Roll out of the Citizens Survey on Uganda Vision 2040 Ready
“Vision 2040 simply means how government will use its citizens’ taxes to transform Uganda in the next 30 years…”Richard Ssewakiryanga, Executive Director Uganda National NGO Forum.
Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) organized a National Training for the Citizens’ Survey on Vision 2040 in Masaka with over 240 Research Associates attending. The training accorded RAs an opportunity to re-familiarize with the survey process, survey tools as well as teams (National and District RAs) meeting to plan on how to successfully roll out the exercise. Prior to the training, a pilot study was carried out in Kalundila Village in Masaka District where at least 28 households were reached with the questionnaire process that informed UNNGOF about the applicability of the tool.
UNNGOF, National Planning Authority and Parliament have a partnership to strengthen the oversight role. However, this cannot happen without evidence; a reason why the survey will be carried out so that Parliament [which does oversight on behalf of citizens] does its work with evidence.
In the opening remarks, Ms. Sophie Kange the UNNGOF Capacity Development Coordinator thanked participants for associating themselves with the Uganda Vision 2040 Citizens’ survey process, and reminded them that the main reason for doing the survey was to establish citizens’ awareness and perceptions about Vision 2040 while establishing their contribution towards attainment of the Vision from which the views expressed in the survey would help to inform National Planning.
“Vision 2040 is about what the Uganda government will do for its citizens using their taxes. A citizen is supposed to do 2 main things for his country which include paying taxes and voting,” said Mr. Richard Ssewakiryanga. He explained that paying taxes is a must therefore someone should be interested in knowing how their money is used. About voting, he said it means that you have handed over authority of governing your country to someone therefore there is need to keep checking and see if they are on truck, the reason why Vision 2040 survey has been planned. Mr. Ssewakiryanga challenged the Research Associates to be active citizens during the survey process, which will create ownership and thus successful survey process.
Research Associates, were encouraged to read the Vision 2040 so that they are farmiliar with Government’s plan to ease their work during the survey.
Mr. Mugole Emmanuel, the Research Consultant, challenged them to understand the context with in which the survey is conducted as the outcomes of the survey would help to feed into the NDP II since NPA wants citizens input by 15th August 2014. He further informed participants that a letter from the National Planning Authority and Uganda National NGO Forum had been secured to ease their introduction in communities.
The training provided a chance for the District RAs to meet with the National Team that would be working in their districts. The teams planned how to carry out the exercise; further reviewed the questionnaire to help RAs familiarize with it. The training also equipped RAs with the necessary tips to conduct research especially on entry into communities, guiding the respondents during the interview as well as maintaining ethics in the field.
