Quality and nature of partnerships in restoration efforts of Awoja watershed in Eastern Uganda Running head: Nurturing Quality Partnerships for Awoja Watershed Restoration

Watershed restoration initiatives are often determined by the quality of partnerships they entail, along with factors such as institutional frameworks and the degree of community involvement. Despite a growing body of re-search investigating stakeholder engagement in Awoja watershed, significant gaps remain concerning the quality and nature of these partnerships. This study investigates the quality and nature of partnerships involved in restoring the Awoja watershed, situated within the Kyoga Water Management Zone in eastern Uganda. Utilizing an ex-post-facto cross-sectional research design, secondary document reviews and key informant interviews were con-ducted to gain insights. The findings indicate that the nature of partnerships was guided by the legal framework Farm Income Enhancement and Forest Conservation (FIEFOC) and affiliations with the International Union for Conservation of Nature for the Community Based Wetland and Biodiversity (COBWEB) project, inadvertently led to the marginalization of vital partners such as local communities. Results suggest an imperative need to enhance shared vision, accountability and effective communication to bolster the quality of partnerships for successful restoration efforts in the Awoja watershed. Furthermore, it is crucial to include key stakeholders at all stages, especially local communities, in future restoration activities within the Awoja watershed. Key words: Community participation, Environmental Conservation, Institutional Framework, Marginalization, Social Exchange, Watershed restoration