Exploring the Policy Makers’ Perceptions of the Socio-Economic Factors Limiting Uganda’s Potential to Attain Middle Income Status By 2020

Abstract

The study explored the policy makers‟ perceptions of the socio-economic factors limiting Uganda‟s potential to attain middle income status by 2020 considering the National Planning Authority and the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development as the case. The dependent variable of the study was attainment of Middle Income Status and the independent variables of the study were Human capital development, Enhanced Agricultural Productivity and as well as Increased Infrastructure Investment. The study objectives were; To assess Uganda‟s Human Capital Development capacity in achieving of middle income status in Uganda by 2020, To evaluate Uganda‟s enhanced agricultural productive capacity to the attainment of middle income status in Uganda by 2020 and To assess Uganda‟s increased infrastructural investment capacity to the achievement of middle income status in Uganda by 2020.

The Target Population was 110 respondents however the accessible population was 80 respondents and from the 80 respondents a sample size of 73 respondents was selected using the Krejcie and Morgan (1970). Data was collected using Questionnaires, Interviewing of Key Informants and Documentary Review. Out of the 73 respondents, 60 respondents participated in the study through interviews and response to structured questionnaires yielding an overall response rate of 82.2%. Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected, quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics whereas qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis in a narrative form through transcribing.

The study established that Human Capital Development, Enhanced agricultural productivity and Increased Infrastructure Investment all had the capacity to influence the attainment of Middle Income Status. However, the study concluded that Uganda currently does not have the potential to attain Middle Income Status by 2020. The study therefore recommended that if Uganda is to attain a middle income status, more emphasis should be put on; Comprehensive Skills Development, Upgrade and fully resource all primary health care facilities in the country, Develop and implement a national local content policy, Development of interventions along the value chains, Strengthening and/or up scaling research and development, Promotion of good agricultural practices, Construction of strategic roads for example Highways and Tourism roads, Construction of the Standard Gauge Railway System and as well as Entebbe Airport rehabilitation and expansion

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