Local Governance in Africa: The Challenges of Democratic Decentralization

Enthusiastic proponents of decentralizing African states through the privatization and other measures, Olowu (public policy and administration, Institute of Social Studies, the Netherlands) and Wunsch (African studies and political science, Creighton U.) offer case studies and "preliminary" theoretical frameworks for understanding recent decentralization initiatives. Countries examined include South Africa, Botswana, Nigeria, Ghana, Chad, Uganda, and Kenya. In a chapter on lessons drawn, they promote the importance of effective systems of intergovernmental relations, strong local demand for public goods, and effective local institutions that involve the public and lead to accountability. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR