This study conducted a comparative analysis of the institutional independence of Uganda's Sixth Parliament (2001– 2006) and the Eleventh Parliament (2016–2021), examining how legislative autonomy, budgetary self-determination, oversight capacity, and executive-legislative relations evolved over a fifteen-year period. Drawing on a mixedmethods design underpinned by neo-institutional theory and separation of powers doctrine, the study collected quantitative data from 186 purposively and randomly selected respondents comprising Members of Parliament, parliamentary staff, civil society representatives, and legal scholars. Univariate analysis revealed that the Eleventh Parliament recorded higher institutional independence scores across all five measured dimensions, with budgetary autonomy improving from a mean of 52.3 to 71.4 out of 100. Bivariate analysis using chi-square tests and Pearson correlation established statistically significant positive associations between parliamentary independence and legislative output (r = 0.74, p < 0.001), as well as between oversight autonomy and executive accountability ratings (r = 0.69, p < 0.001). Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) further confirmed that institutional independence (β = 0.72, p < 0.001) was a strong predictor of legislative effectiveness, mediated by recruitment autonomy (β = 0.48, p < 0.01) and budgetary control (β = 0.55, p < 0.001). The overall SEM model demonstrated acceptable fit (CFI = 0.94, RMSEA = 0.06, SRMR = 0.05). The findings underscore that while significant institutional gains have been achieved, structural vulnerabilities—particularly executive influence over parliamentary budgets and the appointment processes for senior parliamentary staff—continue to constrain full legislative independence. The study recommends constitutional entrenchment of parliamentary budgetary autonomy, a transparent and merit-based parliamentary service commission, and strengthened inter-institutional accountability mechanisms to consolidate democratic governance in Uganda.

This study examined the relationship between access to finance and the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Kabale Municipality, Uganda. The study was motivated by the persistent challenges faced by SMEs in accessing adequate and affordable finance, and the consequent limitations on their growth and contribution to economic development. A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted, and data were collected from a sample of 150 SME owners and managers selected through stratified random sampling. Structured questionnaires measured access to finance across three dimensions — access to bank credit, access to microfinance, and access to equity/informal finance — and SME performance across financial performance, operational efficiency, and market growth dimensions. Descriptive, correlation, and regression analyses were conducted. Results showed that access to bank credit (β = 0.412, p < 0.001), access to microfinance (β = 0.287, p < 0.001), and access to equity and informal finance (β = 0.219, p = 0.003) were all significant positive predictors of SME performance, with the regression model explaining 71.8% of performance variance (R² = 0.718). The study concluded that financial access is a critical determinant of SME performance and recommended reforms in collateral requirements, expansion of SME-focused financial products, and strengthening of credit guarantee schemes to unlock growth potential of SMEs in Kabale Municipality.

his study assessed the feasibility of introducing sector-based parliamentary representation as a complement or alternative to Uganda&#039;s predominantly territorial constituency system, with specific attention to the health, education, agriculture, trade and industry, and disability sectors. The research was motivated by recurrent debates within Uganda&#039;s Parliament and civil society on whether geographically-bounded representation adequately channels technical sectoral interests into national legislative and budgetary processes. Using a cross-sectional, quantitativedesign, data were collected from 420 purposively and randomly sampled respondents comprising Members of Parliament, civil society leaders, sector technocrats, and academics drawn from the Central, Western, Eastern, and Northern regions of Uganda. Five latent constructs were measured on five-point Likert scales: institutional capacity, sectoral legitimacy, political will, representation effectiveness, and feasibility of sector-based representation. Data were analysed using univariate statistics (frequencies, means, standard deviations), bivariate techniques (Pearson correlation, independent-samples t-test, and one-way ANOVA), and a structural equation modelling approach operationalised through a sequence of structural regression paths linking institutional capacity, sectoral legitimacy, and political will to representation effectiveness and ultimately to feasibility. Results indicated that institutional
capacity significantly predicted sectoral legitimacy, and that sectoral legitimacy, political will, and institutional capacity jointly explained a substantial proportion of variance in representation effectiveness, which in turn was the strongest predictor of overall feasibility. Political will emerged as a second strong direct determinant of feasibility. Differences in feasibility perceptions across sectors and respondent categories were comparatively modest and statistically non-significant, suggesting a broadly shared, cross-sectoral view of the structural prerequisites for reform. The study concludes that sector-based parliamentary representation in Uganda is conditionally feasible, contingent primarily on strengthening institutional capacity and political will rather than on sector-specific characteristics. The study recommends phased piloting of sector seats, capacity-building for sectoral representative structures, and deliberate political mobilization to build cross-party consensus ahead of any constitutional or electoral law amendment.

This study examined the conceptual and operational tension between auditing as a ceremonial ritual and auditing as a genuine enforcement mechanism within Uganda&#039;s public accountability framework. Drawing on a mixed-methods design that combined structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and documentary analysis, data were collected from 320 purposively and randomly selected respondents across central government ministries, local government districts, civil society organizations (CSOs), and parliamentary committees. Univariate descriptive statistics, bivariate correlation analysis, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) were employed to interrogate the relationships between political independence, technical audit capacity, stakeholder engagement, follow-up compliance mechanisms, and accountability outcomes. Findings revealed that 58.8% of respondents perceived public auditing in Uganda primarily as a ritual exercise, driven largely by weak enforcement infrastructure, limited political will, and inadequate follow-up on audit recommendations. The SEM model demonstrated strong path coefficients linking political independence to enforcement effectiveness (β = 0.61, p &lt; .001) and audit formalism to ritual perception (β = 0.73, p &lt; .001), with overall model fit indices confirming a well-specified model (CFI = 0.96; RMSEA = 0.047). The study concluded that Uganda&#039;s audit ecosystem remains structurally skewed toward performative compliance, undermining the transformative potential of public auditing as an accountability instrument. The study recommended institutional reforms targeting the independence of the Auditor General&#039;s office, mandatory parliamentary action on audit reports, and capacity investment in the Office of the Auditor General (OAG). These findings carry significant implications for public financial management reform efforts in Uganda and comparable subSaharan African contexts.

This study examined the relationship between business risk management, capital structure, and financial performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Nakaseke District, Uganda. Despite the acknowledged importance of SMEs in Uganda's economic development, high failure rates attributed to poor risk management practices and suboptimal capital structure decisions continue to constrain the sector's contribution to growth and employment. A cross-sectional survey of 175 SME owners and managers was conducted using structured questionnaires. Risk management was operationalized through risk identification (r = 0.487, p < 0.01), risk mitigation strategies (r = 0.523, p < 0.01), and risk monitoring (r = 0.461, p < 0.01); while capital structure was measured through debt-equity ratio management (r = 0.538, p < 0.01) and financing diversification (r = 0.501, p < 0.01). All variables demonstrated significant positive correlations with financial performance. Multiple regression revealed that debt-equity ratio management (β = 0.342, p < 0.001) and risk mitigation strategies (β = 0.298, p < 0.01) were the strongest predictors of financial performance. The combined model explained 58.7% of variance in SME financial performance (R² = 0.587). The study recommends enhanced risk management training for SME owners, improved access to diversified financing instruments, and development of SME-specific risk assessment frameworks adapted to rural business contexts.

Youth unemployment remains one of Uganda&#039;s most pressing socioeconomic challenges, with approximately 62% of young people aged 18–30 years lacking stable, gainful employment. This study examined and compared the employability outcomes of structured internship programs (SI) and vocational training programs (VT) relative to a control group of graduates who participated in neither intervention, with the overarching aim of generating evidencebased insights to guide workforce development policy and practice in Uganda. A cross-sectional comparative research design was employed, and data were collected from 400 purposively and systematically sampled participants drawn from three cohorts across four districts in Uganda (Kampala, Mbarara, Gulu, and Mbale). Structured questionnaires and employer satisfaction tools were administered between January and March 2026. Key employability outcome indicators included employment rate, monthly earnings, time-to-first-job, job satisfaction, skills utilisation, and an aggregated employability index. Data were analysed at three levels: univariate analysis (frequencies, means, standard deviations), bivariate analysis (one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlations, chi-square tests), and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) using maximum likelihood estimation with robust standard errors. Results revealed that SI participants attained a mean employment rate of 72.4% compared to 64.8% for VT participants and 38.6% for the control group (F=84.72, p

Conceptual displacement the process by which the original semantic content of a policy concept is gradually supplanted by alternative meanings that serve different ideological and institutional interests — has emerged as a critical but under examined phenomenon in African public policy scholarship. This study examined conceptual displacement in Uganda&#039;s public policy discourse, with particular emphasis on the education and governance sectors, over the period 2010 to 2024. Drawing on a mixed-methods design that combined critical discourse analysis (CDA) of 214 purposively selected policy documents, 28 key informant interviews, and a structured survey administered to 312 policy actors, the study employed univariate, bivariate, and structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques to quantify and explain patterns of semantic drift. Findings revealed that conceptual displacement was widespread across both sectors: Universal Primary Education (UPE) had evolved from a rights-based framework to an enrolment-centric metric, while decentralisation had been reframed from a power-devolution mechanism to a fiscal-transfer instrument. The bivariate analysis established statistically significant positive associations between donor influence and semantic drift (r = 0.61, p &lt; 0.001) and between media amplification and policy incoherence (r = 0.54, p &lt; 0.001). The SEM results indicated that donor framing (β = 0.42), political capture (β = 0.51), and institutional drift (β = 0.38) were the most powerful structural drivers of conceptual displacement, collectively explaining 67% of the variance in the displacement index. The study concludes that conceptual displacement is not incidental but structurally embedded in Uganda&#039;s policy environment, driven by asymmetric power relations, donor conditionality, and weak institutional memory. Three key recommendations are advanced: the establishment of a National Policy Concept Registry, mandatory semantic impact assessments for externally financed programmes, and the institutionalisation of
participatory policy review mechanisms to preserve conceptual integrity over time.

This study investigated the relationship between credit management practices and financial performance at Pride Microfinance Limited, one of Uganda's leading microfinance deposit-taking institutions. Credit management dimensions examined included credit appraisal, credit monitoring, loan recovery strategies, and credit policy adherence. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, with data collected from 140 employees and managers at Pride Microfinance using structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis. Findings revealed a positive and significant relationship between credit management and financial performance (r = 0.731, p < 0.01). Regression analysis showed that credit appraisal (β = 0.352, p < 0.001), credit monitoring (β = 0.298, p < 0.001), and loan recovery (β = 0.261, p < 0.01) were significant predictors of financial performance, collectively explaining 68.9% of the variance in financial performance (R² = 0.689). The study concludes that credit management is a fundamental determinant of microfinance financial performance and recommends that Pride Microfinance strengthen its credit appraisal frameworks, invest in digital credit monitoring systems, and develop aggressive yet client-sensitive loan recovery strategies.

This study examined the influence of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) practices on customer retention at Centenary Bank, Uganda&#039;s leading microfinance-oriented commercial bank. The dimensions of CRM investigated included service quality, customer communication, complaint handling, and customer loyalty programs. Using a crosssectional survey design, data were collected from 150 bank customers and 30 bank staff using structured questionnaires. Descriptive, correlation, and regression analyses were conducted using SPSS. Findings revealed that CRM practices were significantly and positively associated with customer retention (r = 0.714, p &lt; 0.01). Regression results showed that service quality (β = 0.341, p &lt; 0.001), customer communication (β = 0.289, p &lt; 0.01), and complaint handling (β = 0.251, p &lt; 0.01) were significant predictors of customer retention, collectively explaining 67.3% of variance (R² = 0.673). The study concludes that CRM is a powerful driver of customer retention and recommends that Centenary Bank strengthen its service quality standards, invest in digital communication platforms, and institutionalize a proactive complaint resolution framework.

This study focused on the design and development of an automated hotel management system (HMS) for Golden Heart Hotel, Matugga, Uganda. The hotel was experiencing operational inefficiencies arising from manual record- keeping, including errors in room allocation, delayed billing, loss of reservation records, and poor inventory management. The study adopted the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodology encompassing requirements analysis, system design, implementation, testing, and deployment to develop a web-based HMS using PHP, MySQL, and Bootstrap frameworks. Functional requirements were identified through structured interviews with hotel staff and management. The developed system incorporated modules for room reservation and booking management, guest check-in and check-out processing, billing and invoicing, housekeeping management, staff management, and inventory control. System testing was conducted using black-box and white-box testing techniques, and performance evaluation was carried out through user acceptance testing (UAT) with hotel staff. Results indicated that the automated HMS significantly reduced reservation processing time by 74%, eliminated billing errors, improved room utilisation tracking, and enhanced overall operational efficiency. User satisfaction scores averaged 4.3 out of 5.0 (86%) during UAT. The study concluded that automation of hotel management processes substantially improves operational efficiency, accuracy, and customer service quality. Recommendations include regular system updates, staff training, data backup protocols, and future integration with online travel platforms.