FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION DEPARTMENT

The department is headed by the Undersecretary assisted by the Principal Assistant Secretary, the Senior Accountant, the Senior Economist and the Senior Personnel Officer.

The department is charged with:

• overall coordination and monitoring of all programmes of the Commission;
• mobilization of resources both human and material for effective operation of the Commission;
• Analyzing and submitting of technical reports on the projects of the Commission;
• collecting and analyzing data,
• conducting feasibility studies to determine project viability and set priorities; and
• coordination of development plans and development of budgets of the commission.

The commission continued to receive funding from the consolidated fund, the SWAP development fund under Justice Law and order Sector (JLOS) and European Union in respect of programmes for strengthening democracy, Human rights and good governance.

Other Sources

• Development fund (SWAP) supported establishment of the law Revision Centre at the commission
• European Union has continued to fund programmes for strengthening Democracy, Human Rights and Good governance.
• USAID has supported our staff undertaking law revision of the Uganda Principal laws and statutory instruments in Minnesota USA.
• DFID has supported the printing of the principal laws, shipment to Uganda and storage for six months (July to December).

Achievements of the Department

• Resource mobilisation
  During the year under review, the department has been able to effectively mobilize resources necessary for the Commission. It is worthwhile to report that through the efforts of the department and the leadership of the commission, Parliament approved an additional 630 million shillings for the FY 2003/04 most especially to facilitate law revision, civic education, and consultations with stakeholders.
  
• Establishment of the Policy Planning Unit
  The Commission has established a policy-planning unit headed by a Senior Economist who took office during the year under review. The unit coordinates the policy-planning process, gives technical advice including developing regulatory impact assessment for laws proposed for reform.
  
• Development of a pension scheme
  The department together with the leadership of the commission for the greater part of the year was involved in developing a pension scheme, though not yet operational, it is hoped that the scheme will be vital when the commission attains full autonomy.
  
• PEAP revision and budgeting
  Aware that PEAP is the basis for planning and budgeting in the country, the department effectively participated in the PEAP revision exercise and also in the development of the sector budget framework paper. Budgeting for the Financial Year 2004/05 and Medium term is also underway.
  
• Revenue
  As a new initiative the Commission has put emphasis on raising non-tax revenue. This is through the sale of the 6th edition of the revised principal laws and sale of bid documents. So far from the sale of the revised laws over 500 million shillings has been raised and most of these monies have been transferred to the consolidated fund.
  
• Procurement
  In order to bolster the capacity of the commission, procurement has been streamlined by establishing a contracts committee, and appointing a procurement officer.

Staffing
By end of 2003, the Commission had a staff position of 52 employees. This included 38 established staff and 14 support staff.

The above number of staff included 4 employees who were recruited to the Commission during the year 2003. During the year 2003, the following officers were appointed to the commission;