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Total Quality Management and Service Delivery in Local Government: A Case Study of Kilembe Sub-County in Kasese District Local Government

Nakiwogga Mary1, Kabanda Richard2


Abstract

This study examined the influence of Total Quality Management (TQM) on service delivery outcomes in local government, using Kilembe Sub-County in Kasese District as a case study. Kilembe Sub-County-historically the site of Uganda's largest copper mining operations and now a rapidly developing peri-urban administrative area at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains had since 2018 been implementing a phased TQM programme funded through the Local Government Development Programme III (LGDP III) aimed at improving the quality, efficiency, and citizenresponsiveness of public service delivery across health, education, road maintenance, agriculture extension, and administrative services. Drawing on a cross-sectional survey of 216 respondents comprising sub-county administrative staff, health centre workers, school staff, community development officers, and service beneficiaries from across Kilembe Sub-County's five parishes, the study examined how customer focus orientation, continuous improvement practices, and employee involvement and empowerment-the three TQM pillars operationalised in the LGDP III programme influenced service delivery quality, timeliness, and citizen satisfaction outcomes. Descriptive statistics revealed moderate TQM implementation levels (means 3.28–3.61). Pearson correlation confirmed significant positive relationships between all three TQM dimensions and service delivery quality (r = 0.581–0.714, p < .001). Multiple linear regression demonstrated that the three TQM dimensions collectively explained 63.7% of the variance in service delivery quality (R² = 0.637, F = 38.84, p < .001), with customer focus orientation emerging as the strongest predictor (β = 0.418, p < .001). Structural Equation Modelling confirmed customer focus as the construct with the largest total effect on service delivery (total β = 0.521), with employee involvement partially mediating this relationship (indirect β = 0.149). The study concluded that TQM implementation significantly enhanced local government service delivery in Kilembe Sub-County and recommended sustained TQM investment, citizen feedback system development, staff capacity building, and inter-departmental TQM coordination as priority interventions.

Keywords

Total Quality Management TQM Service Delivery Local Government Customer Focus Continuous Improvement Employee Empowerment Kilembe Sub-County Kasese District SEM Uganda
Metropolitan Journal of Social and Educational Research

Cite This Article

Nakiwogga Mary1 & Kabanda Richard2 (2026). Total Quality Management and Service Delivery in Local Government: A Case Study of Kilembe Sub-County in Kasese District Local Government. Metropolitan Journal of Social and Educational Research, 5(9). https://journals.miu.ac.ug/pages/article.php?article_id=603