Suchergebnisse

The reorientation of the local government system towards decentralisation has been at the centre stage in most developing countries, including Malawi, since the advent of multiparty democracy in the 1990s. The justification for the adoption of some form of decentralisation is to promote democratic governance and participatory approaches in development. The primary purpose in this article is to analyse the context within which decentralisation initiatives are undertaken in Malawi and to assess the extent to which decentralisation promotes participatory approaches in development. This paper is based primarily on documentary research and supplemented by interviews conducted with senior officials from local authorities and with selected members of the public. (Afr Dev/DÜI)

The reorientation of the local government system towards decentralisation has been at the centre stage in most developing countries, including Malawi, since the advent of multiparty democracy in the 1990s. The justification for the adoption of some form of decentralisation is to promote democratic governance and participatory approaches in development. The primary purpose in this article is to analyse the context within which decentralisation initiatives are undertaken in Malawi and to assess the extent to which decentralisation promotes participatory approaches in development. This paper is based primarily on documentary research and supplemented by interviews conducted with senior officials from local authorities and with selected members of the public.

The promotion of basic elements of good governance including community involvement through a decentralised local governance system has been at the centre stage since the advent of the multiparty democracy in Malawi in the 1990s. This article examines the role of Malawian local government in community development and analyses the context of community involvement in local governance. The article is primarily based on documentary research, which includes journal and newspaper articles, and interviews with senior district assembly officials and local people. The major conclusions drawn are that, firstly, the decentralisation process tends to feature the district assembly very highly, with little clarity on how community-based institutions are integrated into the local government system. Secondly, the political, socio-economic and administrative factors prevailing at the local level need to be addressed pragmatically for efficient and effective community participation in development. (Dev South Afr/DÜI)