UDN launched the campaign after concerns that there was increasing Government expenditure on administrative costs which posed a challenge to the Poverty Eradication Action Plan. The campaign targeted the purchase, maintenance and bonding off of government vehicles. This was due to the purchase of fuel-guzzling costly vehicle used by government officials to maximize their luxury, at the cost of the majority taxpayers that have to meet their tax obligations and still receive poor service delivery in return.

Overall Objective of the Campaign  

To ensure that government practices and expenditure are responsive to achieving the key priorities of the Poverty Eradication Action Plan (PEAP) to benefit the majority of Ugandans.

Specific Objectives

1. To lobby Parliament adhere to the government vehicle purchasing processes that are aligned to government circular and instruments on standardization of vehicles.
2. To lobby government officials adhere to the Standing Orders of Public Service on the use and care of government vehicles.
3. To lobby for the reduction on the numbers of government vehicles so as to reduce the cost of public administration
4. To lobby for comprehensive procedure that reflects efficiency and effectiveness in the maintenance and care of the few recommended government vehicles.

UDN’s concerns on management of government vehicles

Informed by the Auditor General reports, UDN was concerned that there were no clear fleet management system in government institutions. This is a problem since;

1. It provided room for uncontrolled movement and usage of public vehicles.
2. Increased wasteful expenditure through fleet repairs, lubricants and general maintenance.
3. The vehicles were abused further while doing non-official work of the government. It was a common occurrence to see government vehicles engaged in private work sanctioned by the government officials. This constrained the Standing Orders of public service on the usage of public vehicles.
4. Some government institutions and individual officers had more vehicles than actually was necessary to conduct official business, at the detriment of those institutions that do more deserve (e.g. the police and the army).
5. Budgetary increases in the fleet management, at the detriment of more deserving yet under-funded programs and projects that have a direct positive impact on poverty reduction.

In that regard UDN carried out the following activities:

• A one-day workshop was organized for members of the civil society, grassroots monitors, UDN allied districts, government representatives and the media. A total number of 30 participants attended the workshop which aimed at bringing together people from different parts of the country and levels to contribute effectively on a) the challenges of the increasing public administration costs, which have continued to increase at the expense of services delivery, b) analyze the impact of the escalating cost of public administration at the expense of social service delivery and c) identify the possible recommendations to policy makers.
• The participants developed Civil Society statement on the purchase and maintenance of the vehicles