Uganda's Sector Research Articles

Exploring the spatial variation of the effect of Covid-19 on property market activity in Kampala District

The real estate sector in Uganda has been substantially impacted by the onset of COVID-19 in this country. Studies conducted worldwide have indicated that, pandemics affect property market activities differently. Additionally, the effect of pandemics on property market activity varies from one place to another. Studies conducted in Uganda, however, have not captured how the effect of COVID-19 on property market activities varies from one place to another. This study therefore explored the spatial variability of the effect of COVID-19 on property market activities in Kampala district, Uganda. The study took advantage of the spatial statistical analytical models advocated by GIS (Getis-Ord Gi*, OLS, GWPR) and a unique dataset of property transactions registered by the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (MLHUD) during the outbreak of the deadly disease. Whereas the study observed high volumes of property transactions registered in the residential outskirts of the city, low volumes were observed in the Central Business District (CBD) and the low-income areas of the eastern and western parts of the district. On the other hand, the local model approach of GWPR exposed the substantial effects of COVID-19 on property market activities that varied from -39% to 10%. It was further established that COVID-19 generated negative effects in areas with low and high prices of land per acre, to the extent of increasing as the prices dropped or increased. On the contrary, a positive effect was realized in the residential outskirts of the city where prices of land per acre were moderate. Work from home, land parcel size as well as the composition of the population, proved to be the main drivers of the changes in property market transactions (activity). The findings of the study underpin the earlier postulations of various researchers that pandemics affect property market activity. However, the effects of the pandemics vary from one pandemic to another and from one place to another.

The Moderating Role of the Organizational Climate on the Relationship between IT alignment and Employee Performance

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to empirically establish the moderating role of the organisational climate on the relationship between IT alignment and employee performance at Umeme Limited. Design/methodology/approach: The research used a cross-sectional approach. To test their theories, the authors use hierarchical regression modeling. A sample of 165 respondents with a 100% response rate was selected from among the 290 employees of Umeme Limited using proportionate simple random and sampling procedures. Findings: Multiple regression results indicate that Information technology alignment is a significant predictor of Employee Performance in UMEME ltd (Beta = .534, p < 0.001). This implies that Information technology alignment explains 53.4% of the variance in Employee performance. When testing for moderating role of the organisational climate on the relationship between IT alignment and employee performance at Umeme Limited, the interaction term was positive and significant, resulting in the hypothesis “organisational climate moderates the association between IT alignment and employee performance at Umeme Limited” being accepted. Practical implications: The organisational climate in which Umeme employees operate is dynamic and rapidly changing, requiring constant modification of strategies and operations to reflect these changing circumstances if employee performance is to be increased. Originality/value: This is one of the few studies that focus on testing the moderating effects of organisational climate on the relationship between IT alignment and employee performance in the Service Sector in Uganda

Performance Analysis of a Hybrid of Solar Photovoltaic, Genset, and Hydro of a Rural-Based Power Mini-Grid: Case Study of Kisiizi Hydro Power Mini-Grid, Uganda

The power sector in Uganda has increased steadily, focusing majorly on rural electrification to increase the proportion of the rural population accessing electricity using grid extension and isolated mini-grid approaches. Hydropower mini-grids implemented in rural communities have issues regarding system failures leading to shutdowns and load shedding. A study on an existing isolated hydropower mini-grid was made to find the possible causes. A review of published articles and reports, and an analysis of enrollment patterns, energy sales, and load demand was carried out. A field survey with a guided questionnaire to collect information about real energy demand data was carried out. The performance of the system was accomplished through simulation using HOMER pro × 64 software. The findings from the study show a reduction in customer enrollment, a reduction in energy sales, and a reasonable number of system shutdowns. Hybridization of the existing hydropower was modeled with different options. The hybrid system proposed indicates that, when implemented, it would reduce fuel consumption from 222 to 23.2 L/day and emissions from 82.5 to 8.3 kg/year on average and increases system reliability. Simulated values of NPC, LCOE, and operating costs are appreciable. Despite mini-grid shortfalls, there is notably improved livelihood due to improved social and economic services.

Interdependences between access to education and equal economic chances: legal issues and the example of Uganda.

This paper examines interdependencies between access to education and equal economic chances with a focus on Uganda spotlighted through legal lenses. Interestingly, access to education does not only interact with equal economic chances as a cause-and-effect relationship but rather as an interdependency. This paper gives a full background of education as a sector in Uganda and then examines the legal framework before delving into some challenges culminating into a spotlight on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on education in Uganda. The paper the looks at a way forward and makes a conclusion on what is pertinent.

ACCESS TO THE RURAL ELECTRIFICATION INITIATIVE AND LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT IN RURAL SANGA SUB COUNTY AND SANGA TOWN COUNCIL, UGANDA

Electricity is such an important utility that has transformed communities by empowering them financially through different activities that generate income (World Bank, 2015). Without electricity, many communities struggle to obtain the resources necessary to lift themselves out of a static state which greatly impacts people’s lives. Rural communities have a genuine and justifiable need for electricity (World Bank, 2016). These communities want to use electricity in relatively small quantities in order to: pump water, transport commodities, engage in income generating activities, practice modernized healthcare, and increase available light to extend work and leisure hours. Unfortunately, the road to achieving electrification is complex and costly. Currently, Uganda’s electricity sector is in flux: after the passage of the 1999 Electricity Act private enterprise was introduced into all aspects of the sector. Since that time, problems with power theft, insufficient supply, geographic isolation, and high infrastructure costs have inhibited rural communities from gaining access to electricity (RESP, 2013). This paper attempts to uncover some of the major challenges of making electricity accessible in Uganda, a developing country with a large rural population. Information was obtained through site visits, area appraisals, interviews with key informants, and general observation. The subsequent sections provide a reasonably extensive overview of the electricity sector in Uganda; foundational information that is necessary if one is to truly understand the electricity situation. Two case studies were covered in this study and these were; Rural Sanga Sub County and Sanga Town Council with their challenges as far as electrification is concerned. The final section contains recommendations for making electricity more accessible to rural Ugandans, based on the information gathered during the research period.

Energy Efficiency Reality with Reference to the Residential Sector in Uganda

Energy Efficiency Reality with Reference to the Residential Sector in Uganda

Challenges and Opportunities of the Ugandan Traditional Herbal Medicine Sector

The use of herbal medicine products worldwide and in Uganda is on the rise and there is much-renewed interest in their use because of the belief that they are safe. However, this belief is not backed up by credible scientific research for many products in Uganda. Almost all herbal products produced locally in Uganda have no scientific proof for their claimed safety and efficacy for the treatment of the various conditions they are claimed to treat example; covid-19, HIV, hypertension, erectile dysfunction, and others. There is an urgent need to quickly improve and enforced research on the local products in order to realise the economic benefits which could be lying hidden in them and put a ban on adulterated products from being sold to the public. This review was conducted in order to determine the challenges and opportunities in the Traditional Herbal Medicine sector in Uganda. It was found out that enormous challenges face the Traditional Medicine sector in Uganda including; lack of research on products available for use, claims of one product treating multiple conditions, adulteration of products with established Pharmaceutical drugs and no stringent regulations on registration of products. However, a lot of opportunities were also noted available for exploitation to develop the sector further. Collaboration with local Universities to speed up research using the Reverse Pharmacology approach [1] on the available products, strictly enforcing regulation on product registration and exploiting the reverse Pharmacology approach to study the local products, aggressive and intentional investment in basic research infrastructures and speeding up Clinical Trials on products found to be safe and effective could allow the realisation of the benefits which could be hidden in the local Traditional Medicine products.

Improving governance in the water sector through social accountability, communication and transparency

Network for Water and Sanitation (NETWAS, Uganda) in June 2008, with support from the World Bank Institute and in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Environment, Bukalasa Agricultural college which supplies the college and neighbouring homesteads with piped water, Wobulenzi Town Council which signed a contract with Trandit Limited a private company that supplies Wobulenzi core urban and a few peri urban wards, has been implementing a governance project. The aim of this project was to promote better governance in the water sector in Uganda by fostering transparency, social accountability and efficient communication activities. Two social accountability tools known as the Citizen’s Report Card (CRC) and the Community Score Card (CSC) have been used. A communication strategy was also developed to ensure better information flow between users and providers and other key stakeholders of the project, the process and the outcomes. This project engaged communities within the Town Council to work in partnership with the service providers to improve the quality of water service delivery. After two years of implementation what is clear is that social accountability works in improving water provision and improving relations among stakeholders.

Establishing the Influences of Cardinal Virtues on Employees’ Cyber Security Ethical Behavior in the Banking Sector in Uganda

Purpose: Cyber security threats emanating from employees’ incorrect behavior have escalated in the banking sector. Yet formal policies and technical solutions have failed to solve the problem. Virtue ethics may be a method that can handle this concern. This research aimed at enhancing Cyber security by confirming through statistical analysis the applicability of cardinal virtues related to cyber security ethical behavior.
 Methodology: The quantitative survey method utilizing an online questionnaire was used. Confirmatory factor analysis determined causal patterns in the variables and assessed them for validity and reliability. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling was then used to test casual relations between the study’s constructs. 
 Findings: The results reveal that there is a positive but an insignificant effect of prudence Beta 0.094. p = 0.277 on cyber security ethical behavioral Intentions; there is a positive and significant influence of Temperance; Beta 0.255, p = .000; a positive and significant influence of courage; Beta 0.247, p = .001; on cyber security ethical behavior, that there is a positive and significant influence of Justice; Beta 0.452, p = .000; on cyber security ethical behavioral Intentions. The results further showed that a positive change in ethical behavior intentions leads to a positive change in cyber security ethical behavior.
 Unique contribution to theory and practice: This research makes a theoretical contribution to Cyber security ethics by promoting virtue ethics as a framework for moral investigations into Cyber security. Results can be utilized to improve methods, instruments, and tools to assess the employees’ cyber security ethical behavior. Policy makers can develop virtue ethical based training programs with dedicated, continuous learning and teaching undertakings geared towards monitoring and enhancing the overall ethical behavior towards cyber security in the banks. The results are a platform to the Government of Uganda through the Ministry of ICT in generating appropriate national policies related to Cyber security ethics as a strategy aimed at improving Cyber security in the banking sector.

An Audit into the Nature of Operations of Agro-processing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Uganda

The agro-processing Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (MSMEs) form an integral part of the manufacturing sector in Uganda. To effectively facilitate product certification among MSMEs, there is a need to fully understand the nature of their operations so that appropriate interventions can be put in place. This study assessed the status quo of operations at selected MSMEs in Uganda. A semi-structured paper-based questionnaire was administered to the owners, managers, or supervisors of the 40 selected agro-processing MSMEs enrolled under the project "Empowerment of the Agro-Processing Industry to meet the Quantity and Quality Standards for the Local and Export Market", a programme enhancing the practical skills of students at Makerere University dubbed the "EAPI Project." The seven-section questionnaire consisted of both quantitative and qualitative questions focusing on (i) product optimization, (ii) raw material verification and storage, (iii) good manufacturing practices, (iv) measuring and testing equipment, (v) product assessment, presentation, and storage, (vi) waste and pest management, and (vii) infrastructure and energy utilization. The results indicate that only 23.7% of agro-processing MSMEs clearly understood the standards. Packaging was the most optimized parameter (74.4%), followed by texture and sensory properties (59% and 51.1%, respectively). About 74% of the agro-processing MSMEs were compliant in declaring the raw materials on the product label. Results indicated that maintenance of valid medical certificates, routine inspection of personnel, and provision of protective gear ranked low, with a score of 1 out of 10. Inadequate documentation was a cross-cutting issue for all operations, yet it was a driver for GMPs. There is a need to strengthen the understanding and practice of Food processing standards from the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), in the agro-processing MSMEs through continuous human and institutional-capacity development programs.

Resistance Testing for Management of HIV Virologic Failure in Sub-Saharan Africa : An Unblinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

Virologic failure in HIV predicts the development of drug resistance and mortality. Genotypic resistance testing (GRT), which is the standard of care after virologic failure in high-income settings, is rarely implemented in sub-Saharan Africa. To estimate the effectiveness of GRT for improving virologic suppression rates among people with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa for whom first-line therapy fails. Pragmatic, unblinded, randomized controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02787499). Ambulatory HIV clinics in the public sector in Uganda and South Africa. Adults receiving first-line antiretroviral therapy with a recent HIV RNA viral load of 1000 copies/mL or higher. Participants were randomly assigned to receive standard of care (SOC), including adherence counseling sessions and repeated viral load testing, or immediate GRT. The primary outcome of interest was achievement of an HIV RNA viral load below 200 copies/mL 9 months after enrollment. The trial enrolled 840 persons, divided equally between countries. Approximately half (51%) were women. Most (72%) were receiving a regimen of tenofovir, emtricitabine, and efavirenz at enrollment. The rate of virologic suppression did not differ 9 months after enrollment between the GRT group (63% [263 of 417]) and SOC group (61% [256 of 423]; odds ratio [OR], 1.11 [95% CI, 0.83 to 1.49]; P = 0.46). Among participants with persistent failure (HIV RNA viral load ≥1000 copies/mL) at 9 months, the prevalence of drug resistance was higher in the SOC group (76% [78 of 103] vs. 59% [48 of 82]; OR, 2.30 [CI, 1.22 to 4.35]; P = 0.014). Other secondary outcomes, including 9-month survival and retention in care, were similar between groups. Participants were receiving nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based therapy at enrollment, limiting the generalizability of the findings. The addition of GRT to routine care after first-line virologic failure in Uganda and South Africa did not improve rates of resuppression. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

Determinants of Enterprise Performance in Uganda’s Tourism Sector: Does Gender Matter?

The paper looks at the relationship between the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism sector of Uganda and firm characteristics and business environment. Data were gathered after administering questionnaires to 1690 SMEs located around tourist attractions throughout the country in 2018. The study uses quantile regression to analyze the determinants of firm performance. The findings indicate that entrepreneur/managers education, business experience, initial capital, business registration and age of the owner are important in explaining enterprise performance. We also find that male managed enterprises outperform those managed by female. The study suggests that providing easy access to credit for initial capital and easing the business registration process and training entrepreneurs/managers will increase performance of SMEs in the tourism industry.

Towards Good E-Flows Practices in the Small-Scale Hydropower Sector in Uganda

Stakeholders of the small-scale (<50 MW generation capacity) hydropower sector in Uganda recognise the importance of sustainable development of the resources that have social and ecological importance. Uganda is experiencing a boom in hydropower projects resulting in over generation of electricity and its exportation to neighbouring nations. Limited policies are currently available in Uganda to direct the sustainable development of this sector. Environmental flows (e-flows) practices established for the Nile Basin region and international good e-flows practices can contribute to sustainable management of hydropower developments in Uganda. The paper defines and explains e-flows, identifies water resource attributes of importance for e-flows determination associated with hydropower and threat associated with this activity in Uganda, and provides good e-flows determination and management practices based on regional and international information. The determination and management of e-flows in the hydropower sector in Uganda is largely dependent on the availability of and quality of hydrology, hydraulic and flow-ecosystem and flow-ecosystem service relationship information. This review of good-practice e-flows practice for the small hydropower sector in Uganda provides guidance to support multiple stakeholders of water resources in Uganda for a better future for all of its vulnerable communities and the environments they depend on.

The Microfinance Game: Experiencing the dynamics of financial inclusion in developing contexts

Higher education institutions need to play a leading role as drivers of change. In this context, there is a growing trend to develop multidisciplinary approaches to education for sustainable development, and to implement student-centered and problem-based teaching and learning methods to increase student satisfaction and engagement. The method presented here uses an online role-play simulation in which the students represent several stakeholders from the microfinance sector in Uganda, for the overall purpose of increasing financial and social inclusion levels in the country. Several Sustainable Development Goals are addressed from the perspective of interactions between different actors and their specific characteristics, objectives, and interests. This study uses post-simulation data to explore the students’ perceptions about the usefulness of this methodology to foster key cognitive, skill-based, and affective learning outcomes. The implementation of this teaching and learning methodology demonstrated that this active learning method helps students acquire the set of skills and abilities that are expected of graduate students in economics, business, and management, with a special focus on sustainability criteria. Thanks to the methodology in this study, students are able to understand the complexities of the microfinance sector and its potential to tackle poverty and inequality.

Surgical procedures for children in the public healthcare sector: a nationwide, facility-based study in Uganda

ObjectiveThis study investigated the surgical services for children at the highest levels of the public healthcare sector in Uganda. The aim was to determine volumes and types of procedure performed...

Investing in the Ugandan dairy sector

Learning outcomes Industry analysis and market attractiveness: Understand how to analyse an industry, using the dairy sector in Uganda as an example and what makes a market attractive for incumbents or future entrants. Value disciplines: Understand and apply the different value disciplines companies can choose from to achieve market-leading positions. Business integration: Understand some of the key benefits of vertical integration and when it may or may not make sense to integrate. Doing business in Africa: Understand the specific generic challenges of doing business in Africa, particularly in the agricultural and manufacturing sectors. Generalisability of frameworks: Realise that the same frameworks that are used to analyse large firms and mature markets can be applied to smaller firms in less developed markets. Case overview/synopsis The case is set in the early months of 2020, as Bernd Schanzenbächer, founder and managing partner of EBG Capital (a Swiss investment firm that manages a multimillion global portfolio of agricultural investments), and his team are deciding whether to invest in a dairy farm in Uganda. The opportunity looks quite interesting and the EBG Capital team believes there is a good fit between the farm owners’ needs, its management team’s objectives and EBG Capital’s strengths and interests. However, the dairy market in Uganda faces many challenges and, while the market-demand fundamentals appear promising, the team wonders if it is the right time to invest. The issue for EBG Capital is to understand what makes the Ugandan dairy industry so challenging and to determine how to fix or mitigate some of the industry’s most pressing problems – given that it will be the firm’s first investment in the country – as well as for deciding where it makes sense to play in the broad value chain (i.e. only in milk production or also in milk processing). Complexity academic level Masters in Business Administration and Executive Education courses. Supplementary materials Teaching Notes are available for educators only. Please contact your library to gain login details or email support@emeraldinsight.com to request teaching notes. Subject code CSS 11: Strategy.

Trends in access to anti\u2010malarial treatment in the formal private sector in Uganda: an assessment of availability and affordability of first\u2010line anti\u2010malarials and diagnostics between 2007 and 2018

BackgroundMalaria is the single largest cause of illness in Uganda. Since the year 2008, the Global Fund has rolled out several funding streams for malaria control in Uganda. Among these are mechanisms aimed at increasing the availability and affordability of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). This paper examines the availability and affordability of first-line malaria treatment and diagnostics in the private sector, which is the preferred first point of contact for 61% of households in Uganda between 2007 and 2018.MethodsCross-sectional surveys were conducted between 2007 and 2018, based on a standardized World Health Organization/Health Action International (WHO/HAI) methodology adapted to assess availability, patient prices, and affordability of ACT medicines in private retail outlets. A minimum of 30 outlets were surveyed per year as prescribed by the standardized methodology co-developed by the WHO and Health Action International. Availability, patient prices, and affordability of malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) was also tracked from 2012 following the rollout of the test and treat policy in 2010. The median patient prices for the artemisinin-based combinations and RDTs was calculated in US dollars (USD). Affordability was assessed by computing the number of days’ wages the lowest-paid government worker (LPGW) had to pay to purchase a treatment course for acute malaria.ResultsAvailability of artemether/lumefantrine (A/L), the first-line ACT medicine, increased from 85 to100% in the private sector facilities during the study period. However, there was low availability of diagnostic tests in private sector facilities ranging between 13% (2012) and 37% (2018). There was a large reduction in patient prices for an adult treatment course of A/L from USD 8.8 in 2007 to USD 1.1 in 2018, while the price of diagnostics remained mostly stagnant at USD 0.5. The affordability of ACT medicines and RDTs was below one day’s wages for LPGW.ConclusionsAvailability of ACT medicines in the private sector medicines retail outlets increased to 100% while the availability of diagnostics remained low. Although malaria treatment was affordable, the price of diagnostics remained stagnant and increased the cumulative cost of malaria management. Malaria stakeholders should consolidate the gains made and consider the inclusion of diagnostic kits in the subsidy programme.

Store-on grid scheme model for grid-tied solar photovoltaic systems for industrial sector application: Benefits analysis

The benefits analysis of the store-on grid (SoG) scheme, an energy business model for fostering rooftop solar photovoltaic technology in developing countries, is proposed in this paper. An expression for evaluating the feed-in grid rate for the solar energy fed to the grid under the SoG scheme is presented. The results of the SoG scheme were compared with those of the time of use (ToU) scheme for the case of the industrial sector in Uganda. Under the SoG model, the prosumer would feed-in the solar energy to the grid at 16.28¢/kWh after tax, while the utility would sellback energy to the prosumer at 17.03¢/kWh. Of the solar energy fed to the grid, the prosumer would annually profit $ 389.46, while the utility would annually profit $ 304.27 under the SoG scheme model and $ 170.39 under the ToU scheme. These results show that both the prosumer and utility record more profits by adopting the SoG scheme than the ToU scheme. Also, the government would collect about 4.21 ¢/kWh in tax from the solar PV energy fed to the grid under the SoG scheme. Thus, the adoption of the SoG scheme would increase the government’s revenue from the energy sector.

Rethinking the state of causality from Foreign Direct Investment to employment in East African Community sub-region

The EAC countries have had long history of reforming and strategizing policies in order to boost FDI inflows so as to create both low and high-skilled employment, facilitating technology diffusion and access to international markets. This paper thus applied Granger-Causality test to investigate whether FDI inflows in five countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi) of East African Community have any significant impact to the rate of employment. Employment rates as the percentage of total employment in four categories which include three sectors of industry, agriculture and service; together with country’s employment to population ratio for people over fifteen years in each country were analyzed against FDI net inflows as the percentage of GDP. Pearson correlation coefficients and corresponding test statistics were performed as preliminary analyses to assess the degree of relationship between FDI and employment in each category. Granger-causality test was later employed to examine the extent of causality relationship. The general findings indicate that causality from FDI to employment in Kenya and Tanzania is insignificant in all sectors, while is significant in only industrial sector in Uganda and to aggregate employment to population ratio in Burundi. Only Rwanda has indicated significant causality in all but agricultural sector. The paper therefore calls for policy re-examination in the countries to tap the potentials of FDI inflows in addressing the excess of labor supply, taking into account sectoral preferences.

How Do Women Overcome Gender Inequality by Forming Small-Scale Cooperatives? The Case of the Agricultural Sector in Uganda

In Uganda, the agricultural sector contributes substantially to gross domestic product. Although the involvement of Ugandan women in this sector is extensive, female farmers face significant obstacles, caused by gendering that impedes their ability to expand their family business and to generate incomes. Gender refers to social or cultural categories by which women–men relationships are conceived. In this study, we aim to investigate how gendering influences the development of business relationships in the Ugandan agricultural sector. To do so, we employed a qualitative–inductive methodology to collect unique data on the rice and cassava sectors. Our findings reveal at first that, in the agricultural sector in Uganda, inter-organization business relationships (i.e., between non-family actors) are mostly developed by and between men, whereas intra-organization business relationships with family members are mostly developed by women. We learn that gendering impedes women from developing inter-organization business relationships. Impediments for female farmers include their restricted mobility, the lack of trust by men, their limited freedom in communication, household duties, and responsibilities for farming activities up until sales. Our findings also reveal that these impediments to developing inter-organization business relationships prevent female farmers from being empowered and from attainting economic benefits for the family business. In this context, the results of our study show that grouping in small-scale cooperatives offers female farmers an opportunity to overcome gender inequality and to become economically emancipated. Thanks to these cooperatives, women can develop inter-organization relationships with men and other women and gain easier access to financial resources. Small-scale cooperatives can alter gendering in the long run, in favor of more gender equality and less marginalization of women. Our study responds to calls for more research on the informal economy in developing countries and brings further understanding to the effect of gendering in the Ugandan agricultural sector. We propose a theoretical framework with eight propositions bridging gendering, business relationship development, and empowerment and economic benefits. Our framework serves as a springboard for policy implications aimed at fostering gender equality in informal sectors in developing countries.