From paper to practice

There is a popular saying that Uganda is good at making good policies/plans but poor at implementing them .However, information about Uganda's policy/plan making record, let alone its implementation performance,is scanty. What has informed the verdict that Uganda's policies/plans are good? And what exactly is Uganda's implementation record? Is it as bad as many people believe? If so, what are the key factors behind this implementation challenge? Specifically, what are the different approaches to successful industrial policy implementation that could help to guide the front-line implementers of Uganda's industrialisation agenda to ensure that the intentions of the Government of Uganda (GoU) are turned into results? In short,how can industrial policy failure be avoided?This study sets out to establish how Uganda is approaching the implementation of its industrialisation agenda. The rationale is to interrogate the country's poor implementation performance, explore approaches to successful industrial policy implementation and guide the implementers of Uganda's industrialisation agenda to achieve sustainable results.The study adopts a mixed, consultative and participatory process approach. From the literature, lessons are drawn on what the world has learned from 40 years of implementation research and the impediments to implementation in Uganda are highlighted. Key informant interviews among people working in GoU, private sector and development organisations involved in Uganda's industrialisation agenda supplement the study's literature review. The key findings of the study centre on the following themes: weaknesses with Uganda's industrialisation strategy; issues with the quality of Uganda's industrialisation implementation plan; and where implementation power lies among the actors involved in the implementation process of the country's industrial policy. The study also highlights a few successes that need to be consolidated and scaled up going forward; delineates the factors that play a role in delaying or failing implementation in Uganda; and provides recommendations to improve policy implementation and to ensure that Uganda's industrialisation intentions are turned into results.