Local Level Decentralization in Ethiopia: Case Study of Tigray Regional State

Based on the literature on decentralization, this article investigates the institutional arrangement and autonomy of local governments in Tigray Regional state. It is based on two rounds of field work covering nine districts. At a formal level, local governments are autonomous units with some define...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Law and development review (Berkeley, Calif.) Calif.), 2020-01, Vol.13 (1), p.95-126
Main Author: Fiseha, Assefa
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accountability
Autonomy
Case studies
Councils
Decentralization
Decision making
devolution
Districts
Governance
local development
Local government
local government deal
local government Ethiopia
Mayors
Policy analysis
Political elites
Political parties
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Summary:Based on the literature on decentralization, this article investigates the institutional arrangement and autonomy of local governments in Tigray Regional state. It is based on two rounds of field work covering nine districts. At a formal level, local governments are autonomous units with some defined mandates including power to decide on policy issues. In reality however, local governments in the study area act more as deconcentrated than as autonomous units since their autonomy is curtailed by higher level governments and party structures. Local governments are thus extension arms of the regional state with little autonomy of their own. Institutions such as elected councils, mayors and the executive exist at the local level but there is more vertical than horizontal accountability. As a result, local Councils have not been able to ensure accountability. Thus decentralization has not resulted in popular control of local governance and local-level development as interests of the party and the local political elite prevail over popular interests. The article calls for rethinking the design of local government that would constitute a local government deal that shifts decision-making away from higher level institutions to the local level, constituting multi-stake holders having control over the affairs of local government.
ISSN:2194-6523
1943-3867
DOI:10.1515/ldr-2019-0006