Fact sheets on decentralisation in Africa

Abstract

A growing number of African countries are considering or implementing reforms that include forms of decentralisation. At times, these reforms are underpinned by (recent) constitutional change, as in Mozambique (2018), Tunisia (2014), Zambia (2016), and Zimbabwe (2013), all of which amended their constitutions relatively recently, partly with the aim of strengthening decentralisation. In other cases, decentralisation reforms emanate from the adoption of a new national policy and changes to ordinary legislation, such as in Lesotho, which adopted a new decentralisation policy in 2014.