Empowering the People or Legitimising Power: Which

way for governance programming?

Henry Maina

ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa

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Outline of presentation

A. Governance Discourse

B. Africa 20 years after “governance crisis”

C. 3 or 2 types of states in Africa

D. Some programming discussion

E. Lessons

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A. Governance Discourse

In 1990s the World Bank argued that “underlying the litany of Africa’s development problems is a crisis of governance”

Crisis of legitimacy Crisis of governability Proposals to deal: devolution,

decentralisation, shrink the state

B. Africa 20 Years after Governance crisis

Most Africa is still characterised by 6 things:

Poor quality institutions An absence of accountability Weak rule of law Tight controls over information High levels of political corruption • Fragility/Instability

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C. 3 0r 2 types of states in Africa

Fragile states/sub-regions- ongoing active wars, political instability, extremely weak state structures-DRC/S.Sudan/Chad/CAR/Sierra Leone/Liberia

Loosely coordinated/Not too strong governments-what type of other structures & institutions emerge?-Cameroon/Kenya/Tanzania/Ghana/Senegal

Restrictive /Too strong governments-what type of institutions and systems are suffocated or indirectly nurtured?-Ethiopia/

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C. 3 0r 2 types of states…

Why is governance a challenges Colonialism did little to develop strong,

indigenously rooted institutions that can tackle development demands of modern states

Economic crisis and unsustainable debt Civil wars and autocratic rule Political instability Aid and its weakening effects Neo-liberalism and its downside

D. Some Programming options

• Some key questions before we discuss options • What aspirations do those in power seek

to fulfil through devolution, decentralisation? Rwanda/Kenya/Mozambique

• Can local governance programme also fail or have unintended effects?

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D. Some programming options…2

Supra-National engagement support in different platforms that enhance direct engagement with citizen but are less confrontational –UN-UPR, treaty bodies, Special mandate holders, ACHPR, Commonwealth Secretariat/Foundation

Multipolar world –who makes leaders in fragile/restricted states tick-Eritrea: independent researchers-Chatham House

Africa-Pan African Parliament/APRM

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D. Some programming options … 3

National level-flagship programmes

Sub-national Level-Education, Health, agriculture, water

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E. Best Practices and Lessons

Working as a coalition cushioned CSOs against negative state actors

Engagement with the state ensured no surprises and acceptance of all except one recommendation in UPR/APRM processes

Support demand and supply side to establish positive equilibrium

Work with insiders-there is always an agent of change however small/junior

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THANK YOU ASANTE SANA

Murakoze