NAME Name:

PASCALIA KIOKO

ADM: 1037510

UNIT TITLE:

ADMINISTATION OF RURAL DEVLOPMENT

UNIT CODE;

SPO 451

QUESTION:

Discuss the reasons for the popularity of decentralization as the component of development
in developing countries
Table of content

1.0 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………..

1.1 Overview of decentralization…………………………………………………………….

1.2 What is development……………………………………………………………………...

1.3 what are developing countries……………………………………………………………

2.0 The rise of decentralization in developing countries……………………………………….

3.0 Benefits of decentralization………………………………………………………………...

4.0 Limitations of decentralization…………………………………………………………….

5.0 Reasons for the popularity of decentralization in developing countries……………………

6.0 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….

7.0 Reference…………………………………………………………………………………..
1.0 Introduction

1.1 overview of decentralization.

The decentralization is defined by Rondinelli as the transfer of authority and responsibility for
the public functions from the central government to subordinate government organization or the
private sector (Rondinelli 1983).

The OECD defines decentralization as measures that transfer a range of powers, responsibilities
and resources from central government to subnational governments defined as legal entities
elected by universal suffrage and having some degree of autonomy (OECD, 2019).

There are a variety of different arrangements which are often the forms of decentralization
according to cheema and Rondinelli 1993.

FORMS OF DECENTRALIZATION.

(a) De-concentration.

It is defined as the shift of administrative authority to regional or district offices. (Crook and
Manor, 1998:6-7; Rondinelli 1989).

(b)Delegation.

It is defined as the transfer of responsibility to semi-autonomous agencies.

(c) Devolution.

It is strengthening financially or legally of sub-national units of government such as provincial,

district and local authorities whose activities are substantially outside the direct control of
Central government (Rondinelli 1989).

(d)Privatization.

It is the transfer of responsibility to the private sectors.

1.2 WHAT IS DEVELOPMENT.

According to Todaro 1981, development is a multi-dimensional process involved in the

reorganization and reorientation of the entire economic and social systems.

1.3 WHAT ARE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

It refers to Nations with a less developed industrial base and a sovereign state with less human
development indicators than other developed countries. In most instances the population is
usually engaged in agriculture and majority live near the subsistence level and these nations rely
on foreign aids. The term is used to refer to Nations in Africa and Asia.

2.0. THE RISE OF DECENTRALIZATION IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

Decentralization is a generic concept is considered from ancient time to the present as a more
agreeable form of human clustering. This is not only true in societal governance but also in the
realm of families. As early as 200 B.C., the Greeks found city-states as more democratically
manageable and administratively effective. An example in the recent past is the breaking away of
the States from the former USSR. Different countries at their different periods of history had
sometimes centralized but after a certain while reversed the process. Decentralization is
accompanied by establishment of a state hierarchy in which higher officials gradually take over
the power of the smaller units and thus undo the development. Decentralization in Kenya started
in March 2013 when elections brought into being a system of devolved government that
represented the country's biggest political transformation since independence. Decentralization in
Kenya for instance through devolution it checks the power of central government and diffuses
political and ethnic tensions. It also reflects the awareness of Kenyan political actors that
patronage and ensure development funds are central to sustain a political career and a system of
government (Barkan 1976; Barkan and Okumu 1980).

3.0 BENEFITS OF DECENTRALIZATION.

The rubbery perspective regarding to the benefits of decentralization which are developmentalist,
democratizers and centralist.
(a) Developmentalist support implementation of decentralization because it brings government
closer to the people, improve service delivery, educate people to become full citizens, facilitate
local participation especially of the poor and thus allow government to better understand the
people's needs, improve public policy design, reduce conflict by helping people to accept
government decisions, socially integrate the community and make local economies more
prosperous and more equitable.

(b)The democratizers argue that decentralization enhances greater citizen input in governance by
strengthening both local elites and the central state, opens the way for popular participation in
making decisions about policy design and implementation, and yields higher levels of
government responsiveness, honesty, legitimacy and tolerance among citizens because local
officials have better knowledge of local conditions than central government officials are thus
better positioned to respond to local tastes and preferences. (Burki et.al.1999:22)

(c) The centralists argues that decentralization transfers social conflicts, resources and
responsibilities to the local level where there is greater political inequality. They note that
decentralization reinforces relationships of subordination and pulverization of the relative
strength of subaltern actors. They also argue that corruption and clientelism are more prevalent at
the local level making participation and unattractive to many citizens as well as making
participation itself undemocratic. Finally, they note that decentralization impairs development
because local governments are less technically capable than central government because the state
loses regulatory capacity and fiscal control.

4.0 LIMITATIONS OF DECENTRALIZATION.

(a) Local civil servants feel compromised.

(b)Constituents not able to hold representatives accountable.

(c) Opaque decision-making affecting accountability upwards and downwards.

(d)Rationalizes reform delays and central claw back to power.

(e) Corruption in which leaders fail to articulate their duties in development at county levels.
5.0 REASONS FOR THE POPULARITY OF DECENTRALIZATION IN IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

The main objectives of decentralization are to improve the services by the public sector and to
enhance the quality of life of citizens. Decentralization has been seen as an important component
of tackling challenges such as increasing demands that are being placed on public services and
growing public expectations regarding the quality of services. From a policy perspective,
decentralization should improve the planning and delivery of public services by incorporating
local needs and conditions at the same time meeting regional and national objectives.

Some of the reasons why most governments in the third world countries decide to embark on on
decentralization include;

(a) Efficiency.

In which there is improvement of administrative and economic efficiency in the allocation of

scarce resources as there is a better understanding of local needs.

(b) Transparency.

There is a clear link between payments made by local tax-payers and the level of services
provided at the local level.

(c)Subsidiarity.

The are efficiencies gained by ensuring that democratically elected officials are accountable to
the electorate.

(d)Mobilization.

Greater community participation of local citizens within local institutions should enhance
decision-making and the Democratic process.

(e) it is also proposed to strengthen democracy by moving the level of decision-making

closer to those most affected by government actions. The delivery of services should improve
if diverse demands and needs of the population are served by local officials who have better
information on what people want. There can be various political administrative and fiscal
motives for decentralization reforms. In some countries decentralization can be seen as a counter
reaction to previous centralization and even how authoritarianism. (Hooghe et. al.,2016).

(f) Decentralization is known to increase political stability and national unity in a country by
giving groups in different parts of the country the ability to participate more directly in
development decision-making thereby increasing their stake in maintaining the political system.

(g) Decentralization is known to allow greater representation for various political, religious and
ethnic groups in the development of decision making through this, it is very efficient
representation of minority groups in a country.

6.0 CONCLUSION.

In conclusion, in Most developing countries, decentralization policies have been adopted and
there is a noticeable development impact compared to the previous administration system. In
Kenya devolution has promoted development and encouraged unity, inclusivity and it has
promoted services delivery system as the decision making has been brought closer to the citizen.
It promoted democracy in all countries that have adopted this system of administration.
7.0 REFERENCE

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Oredo local government area of Edo State, Nigeria. African Research Review, 5(3).

2. Guerra, S. C., & Lastra-Anadón, C. X. (2019). The quality-access tradeoff in decentralizing public
services: Evidence from education in the OECD and Spain. Journal of Comparative Economics, 47(2), 295-
316.

3.Cheema, G. S., & Rondinelli, D. A. (Eds.). (2007). Decentralizing governance: emerging concepts and
practices.

4.Rondinelli, D. A., Nellis, J. R., & Cheema, G. S. (1983). Decentralization in developing countries. World
Bank staff working paper, 581, 13-28.

5.Ribot, J. C. (2003). Democratic decentralization of natural resources. In Beyond structural adjustment

The institutional context of African development (pp. 159-182). Palgrave Macmillan, New York.

6.Rondinelli, D. A., McCullough, J. S., & Johnson, R. W. (1989). Analysing decentralization policies in
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7.Olum, Y. (2014). Decentralisation in developing countries: preconditions for successful

implementation. Commonwealth Journal of Local Governance, (15), 23-38.

8.Mattes, R., & Mozaffar, S. (2016). Legislatures and democratic development in Africa. African Studies
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9.Hooghe, L., Marks, G., Schakel, A. H., Osterkatz, S. C., Niedzwiecki, S., & Shair-Rosenfield, S. (2016).
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