Africa Archives – Decentralization Net

Latest

[ January 27, 2026 ] Introducing LPSA’s Monday Minute Community
[ January 26, 2026 ] Can federalism constrain authoritarianism? Decentralization
[ January 19, 2026 ] How intergovernmental fiscal transfers shape local democracy Decentralization
[ January 16, 2026 ] Why people-centered smart cities matter for decentralization Cities and urban development
[ January 14, 2026 ] UCLG: Towards a new Local Social Covenant Community

The new U.S.–Kenya health partnership risks missing the real problem

December 10, 2025 LPS Alliance

On December 6, the governments of Kenya and the United States announced a major five-year, $2.5 billion cooperation framework to strengthen Kenya’s health sector. The agreement signals renewed American commitment to supporting Kenya’s efforts to […]

Local governments as engines of citizen engagement in Africa

December 1, 2025 LPS Alliance

Afrobarometer’s African Insights 2025 report offers a rich and timely window into how citizens across the continent are engaging in public life, making demands on their leaders, and asserting democratic voice. While the report covers […]

How decentralization is shaping economic development in Burkina Faso

November 24, 2025 Lynn Wambu

Over the past few decades, decentralization has become a key reform strategy across sub-Saharan Africa, aiming to bring the government closer to the people and boost local development. Burkina Faso offers a compelling case. A […]

Decentralization and its financing in Togo

November 21, 2025 LPS Alliance

Togo’s decentralization journey has been long, uneven, and politically complex. Yet in recent years—especially since the landmark municipal elections of 2019 and the regional elections of 2024—the country has taken meaningful steps toward establishing a […]

Advancing multilevel governance and urban finance in Somalia

October 27, 2025 Jacqueline Muthura

The Local Public Sector Alliance (LPSA), in partnership with the World Bank Somalia, implemented a sequence of two capacity-building programs in 2025 designed to equip Somali policymakers and practitioners with the skills, tools, and frameworks […]

County childcare as an avenue to women’s economic empowerment in Kenya

October 7, 2025 Jacqueline Muthura

Under the Fourth Schedule of the Constitution (Part II (9)), county governments in Kenya have constitutional functions and powers for “pre-primary education, village polytechnics, homecraft centres and childcare.” Furthermore, the 2010 Constitution of Kenya provides […]

County funding for childcare in Kenya

September 17, 2025 Jacqueline Muthura

Kenya’s 2010 devolved constitution established county governments as the primary level of government responsible for the provision of childcare facilities, assigning them a mandate that is both critical and, until devolution, largely undefined. Despite considerable […]

Unlocking Zambia’s Property Tax Potential: A Path Toward Inclusive Reform

August 25, 2025 Marina Jandrevska

Effective property taxation is contingent on comprehensive property identification. In Zambia, as in many low- and middle-income countries, the first step toward fiscal inclusion is the systematic discovery and recording of properties, creating a fairer […]

Local Fiscal Transformation in East Africa

August 3, 2025 Jacqueline Muthura

Introduction Over the past decade, public financial management (PFM) reform has emerged as a cornerstone of fiscal modernization efforts across East Africa. From Kenya’s digital procurement platforms to Somalia’s adoption of international accounting standards, the […]

Fiscal decentralization and economic growth in African and OECD countries

July 28, 2025 LPS Alliance

It is no secret that there is a strong correlation between a country’s level of development and its degree of (fiscal) decentralization. After all, many OECD countries are quite highly devolved, whereas many non-OECD countries […]