MITALA UMAR: Delegation in Public Service, A Powerful Tool Undermined by Incentives

Delegation remains one of the most essential yet often misunderstood principles in public service today. At its core, delegation refers to the transfer of duties and authority from a superior to a subordinate while maintaining overall accountability. It is a practice well grounded in public service standing orders and administrative guidelines, designed to ensure efficiency, continuity, and effective service delivery. However, despite its clear importance, delegation has increasingly been undermined in practice, not due to lack of knowledge, but largely because of competing personal interests, particularly financial incentives tied to roles and responsibilities. In an ideal public service setting,