Journal
Metropolitan Journal of Social and Educational Research
MJSER
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
| Journal | Metropolitan Journal of Social and Educational Research (MJSER) |
| Volume / Issue | Vol. 5, No. 9 |
| Published | 06 October 2026 |
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
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