01596pab a2200145 454500008004000000100001600040245009200056260000900148300001300157362001000170520117700180650003001357650002101387773004201408180718b2003   xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d  aOlowu, Dele  aLocal institutional and political structures and processes: recent experience in Africa  c2003  ap.41-52.  a1 Feb  aDemocratic decentralisation is a stated goal of many African countries, but there are considerable institutional and political challenges involved in making it a reality. Even where official government decentralisation programmes are underway, many central agencies may be reluctant or unwilling to share significant powers with local governments.  Overcoming local elite capture and generating genuine local participation can also be extremely difficult.  This article reviews basic institutional and political mechanisms intended to facilitate effective decentralisation and intergovernmental fiscal relations, including legal, constitutional, fiscal and managerial reforms.  It also explores the challenges of developing institutional mechanisms for hierarchical control and internal accountability which are potentially subject to considerable abuse.  Particular attention is given to the development of external accountability through local elections, appropriately defined local government structures and operations, appropriately sized local government jurisdictions and various direct voice mechanisms that have been used to various degrees in Africa.- Reproduced.  aLocal government - Africa  aLocal government  aPublic Administration and Development