Public Sector Reform, E-Government and the Search for Excellence in Africa : Experiences from Uganda

The traditional portrait of many governments worldwide, synonymous with a massive bureaucratic machinery operating inefficiently, unresponsively and at high cost, is gradually fading. Over the past two or so decades, Sub-Saharan African countries, have witnessed wide-ranging Public Sector reforms often in search of effective and efficient systems of government. One such reform came in the form of ICT. Driven by the belief that e-government is one of the key motors to achieve significant leaps needed for reform, governments are taking wide-ranging initiatives to work better. This paper therefore analyzes trends in Public Sector reform that lead to contemporary e-government practice, highlighting experiences from an African country. The Ugandan e-government experience confirms that as a tool of Public Sector reform, e-government presents avenues of opportunities for African countries - though not so much as a solution but rather, as an enabler