Talk To SEMA is a Ugandan non-profit enterprise created in 2018 with an aim of getting citizens feedback about the service delivery system at public institutions such as NIRA offices in Kampala, the Uganda Registration service bureau, Uganda Police and selected courts, says the Country Director of SEMA Lydia Matte.
Its creation was after one of the co-founder’s bags containing her important documents was snatched by a thief. When she went to the police, she had to stand in a long queue in addition to paying some money to get an officer to be listened to.
The experience prompted her desire to have public service systems changed. The new system now allows one on one interviews and feedback machines that use emojis to give feedback based on their emotions.
“When you visit a public institution, you’ll find machines that enable you to give your feedback on a rating from very good to very bad. This information goes to a dashboard, so we are able to get a real time dashboard, we analyze it together with that collected from in person interviews and that from our toll free lines. At the end of the month, we come up with a report that we share with these institutions,” said Teddy Matte during The Fatboy Show on RX Radio
Akello Louise the Citizen Engagement officer in charge of handling the feedback says that upon getting the feedback, it is scrutinized to see if it matches the information gathered by the data collection officers and a one page report is written to show the organization what the Public feels of the services provided together with recommendations. The sector is then made to pledge an improvement of the service.
This could be prolonged periods of time spent in queues, limited furniture for the public to sit or the quality of the services. A follow up is then done to see whether the pledges are fulfilled.
Louise further said that feedback is essential for the development and improved service delivery. She therefore encouraged people to share their feedback saying that every voice and issue matters however small it may seem.
The Fatboy show is hosted by James Onen aka Fatboy, Olive and Sarah every weekday from 6am to 10am on RX Radio.