Decentralization, defined broadly as thetransfer of public authority, resources, and personnel fromthe national level to sub-national jurisdictions, has been arecurrent theme in African countries since independence. Inthe last decade or so decentralization has gained prominenceas an expressed goal or as an actual programmatic pursuit inthe context of or as a consequence of two prominentmovements affecting the African state. One consists ofstructural adjustment programs that sought to reform thepublic sector starting in the 1980s while the other is theongoing transition toward more democratic and competitivepolitics. In nearly all African countries, structures oflocal administration exist but are often subordinated intheir legal creation, mandate, and operation to the centralstate, especially the executive. As elsewhere in thedeveloping world, political and economic liberalization haveopened possibilities or at least revived claims for greaterdecentralization. Major development donors have also pusheddecentralization as a pathway to improving governance andservice delivery in developing countries.
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