Local Governance in Africa: The Challenges of Democratic Governance

The postcolonial period witnessed a remarkable tendency toward political centralization in Africa, but the economic and political balance sheet generally showed up in the red. As economic and political crises, compounded by increasing urbanization, engulfed the continent by the 1970s and '80s, African states were forced to look for solutions elsewhere. International financial institutions, notably the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, foisted Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs) with their now notorious "conditionalities" as a standard reform package. Donor pressure also began to mount for "good governance," with an emphasis on decentralization. The shift to local governments was also expected to reduce central government expenditures. These reforms were fraught with weakness because of the failure to differentiate between deconcentration and devolution as forms of decentralization. "Local governance," as such, did not result. The new phase of decentralization that began in the 1990s is termed "democratic decentralization" by one of the authors in the volume under review: while maintaining several old features, it includes the possibility of developing "local governance"—participatory institutions responsible to local communities.

The mixed fortunes of decentralization measures lead the contributors to ask under what circumstances viable systems of local governance can emerge. This is the central theme of the book. Governance at all levels poses challenges, but in the end, "the national political context is critical" (267). From the case studies presented here it is possible to see a clear correlation between the level of support and genuine desire for reform at the center, and the degree of success achieved in the localities. Success at the local level is measured by two broad criteria: first, the extent to which local priorities and needs drive local decision making; and second, outcomes, that is, tangible benefits in terms of services provided as well as the intangible benefit of "empowerment."

According to the authors' "theory of local governance," local governments must have a defined area of reasonable size and population, have requisite authority and resources, be open to wide participation, and be capable of making decisions and holding themselves accountable to their population. The framework for these requirements issues largely from central governments. But even where the national political context is supportive, local governments still face serious problems with scarcity of money, difficult communications, poverty, and primordial cleavages based on ethnicity, language, or religion. In this situation, the success stories are those countries that have been able to navigate the frontiers of these problems and sometimes even take advantage of them. Democratic decentralization does not mean that local governance is automatically achieved.

Efforts to address some of these problems have led to the quest for alternative structures of local government. These have, of necessity, focused on the indigenous institution of chieftaincy. Traditionally ubiquitous, chieftaincy was used as an instrument of local rule by the colonial powers. In many newly independent states it was, as a consequence, looked upon with suspicion and actually abolished in some. The institution refused to go away, however, mainly because it has historically been the agency for managing resources at the local level. Thus "retraditionalization" is forcing many countries to deal with chiefs while trying to increase the participation, accountability, and modernization of local government. The authors show how "both traditional leader and community can grow in power"; the challenge "is not overpowering indigenous institutions, but learning how to build on and with them" (22).

Perhaps I ought to mention at this point one thought that has constantly occurred to me apropos of the Western push for democracy, especially in poor countries. Historically speaking, democracy was a consequence of the industrial development of the West, and yet curiously we now see the West trying to reverse a historical logic by insisting that democracy be the cause of development. The cart seems to be placed before the horse. Does this explain the failures? Political and governance reforms may need to engage this contradiction as a matter of practical and theoretical discourse, which may help modify and make more realistic what we are all trying to do.

This book is unequivocal about the challenges that face local governments in Africa, but it is also unequivocal that the prospects are not hopeless. To be sure, there are failures arising from the center, as in Kenya or Sierra Leone (which is not covered in the book). But varying degrees of success have been registered, depending upon how the problems that face local government have been handled. At the higher end are countries like South Africa and Botswana and at the lower end are countries like Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire, while countries like Uganda exemplify middle ground successes.

The book is an indispensable guide for all African government ministries handling local government reform. It will also be useful to other practitioners in the field, such as nongovernment organizations. Students in various disciplines dealing with development and contemporary Africa will find it interesting as well.