End-of-Project Report. Democratizing Local Governance in Africa.
Abstract
This study sought to understand how structural reforms intended to enhance citizen participation and downward accountability in local governance can be sustained and made effective in a context of transition from decades of centralized top-down administration.
The study combined desk-based and field research. The desk-based component primarily involved textual analysis of two versions of a proposed constitution for Kenya. The study linked analysis of the frameworks for citizen participation proposed in the drafts:
- lessons learnt from relevant experience in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda;
- citizens' current experience of interaction with local governance institutions;
- citizens' expectations of the proposed arrangements, as well as expectations of recent policies that have sought to enhance citizen participation in specific aspects of local governance.
The fieldwork was conducted in four districts in Kenya and it involved a survey with 516 respondents, 100 key informant interviews, eight focus group discussions and eight community-level feedback and analysis workshops.
This report presents a summary of the key findings, notes on dissemination and influencing of policy, and publication plans and follow-up.
Citation
11 pp.
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