Neighborhood Watch

If while grading tests or exams you come across two sheets of paper whose answers appear frighteningly similar, the first thing you will do is try to find out what the seating arrangement was like. Should it become clear that two people sitting in close proximity to each other have produced responses similar in nature, then you would raise the flag.

Uganda and Kenya are countries which share a common border as well as access to a world's largest fresh water lake.
If the news stations in the area are anything to go by, then the similarities in governance and administration should be noted or perhaps even flagged for future reference.

The first and most notable was the replication of Uganda's broad system of governance and affirmative action which was designed to help bring women onto the fore.
While critics for some of these systems exist, it is well beyond the scope of this web log.
The Kenyans saw it and liked it and replicated it and as a result increased the size of their already bulky government.

The second is a little more recent. It regards the Kenya Union of Teachers. A seemingly more vibrant and active group of teachers in Kenya that is pushing for some financial reform and that seems to have made some headway.
Uganda's teachers have made similar attempts but have had their issues pushed to the back burner in favor of Infrastructural Projects. The Ugandan government can be commended though, for being able to manage different interest groups using associations. Whether this is a deliberate push from government to work with associations instead of unions is a discussion for another day. A smart move nonetheless especially given the crippling nature unions have have on governance. Chris Obore an investigative journalist with the Monitor Newspaper in Uganda argues that a country can be judged by the examination of three key players. Teachers (education), Police (security) and Nurses (health).

The third we refer to here as decentralization which in my view is similar to the devolution which the Kenyans are pushing for but whose structure look pretty similar to pre-independence systems. Doubtless though, the intent seems to be good.
Unfortunately as some say, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions".

The fourth originated from Kenya in the post-Kenyatta days and was the increase in districts which Uganda has adopted but which turns service delivery into a nightmare-especially at the start. It often gets very difficult to put new people in place and to build new structures to accommodate new leaders.
This makes the work of civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations a little more difficult especially because most credible groups are have to sign MOUs with district officials.

The last notable one is the rise and prominence of the Judicial arm of government as an arbiter in contentious issues.