Philosophiae Doctor - PhD (Public Administration)

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10566/23748

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Ethnicity, governance and socio-economic development in Africa: A case study of Kenya and its Luo community, 1963 - 2013
(University of the Western Cape, 2017) Omulo, Albert Gordon Otieno; Williams, John J.
"Ethnicity" and disparate group-based socio-economic development make governance in Africa problematic. Despite this existential reality, the "ethnic" question in African governance remains, largely, only the subject of general discourse. There appears to be very little rigorous scholarship on the economic and socio-cultural dimensions related to the socio-historical construct, "ethnicity". Similarly, attempts to explain why African political culture, in general, continues to encourage the social reproduction of "ethnic" identities also appear to be largely lacking. This thesis aims to fill some of the gaps existent in scholarship of ethnicity vis-a-vis socio-economiccultural development by examining the antagonism between the Luo community and the Kenyan state. Its main objectives are to examine the specifics of the socio-economic consequences of the political marginalization of the Luo and to explain why "ethnicity" is, seemingly, strongly correlated with the crisis of state power in Kenya. This thesis is grounded on the following two major assertions: first, that "ethnicity", like its correlative, "race", is an ideological concept, devoid of any scientific substance; second, that "ethnicity" is an "exogenous construct", imposed on aboriginal people of Africa mostly by European colonizers.
An appraisal of the nexus between citizen participation and democratic development policies : a case study of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) programme in Bushenyi District Uganda
(University of the Western Cape, 2011) Kateshumbwa, Mwesigye Edgar; Thompson, Lisa
While the term participation is widely used by development agencies and government alike, its meaning is still widely contested. An emerging consensus on citizens' participation is the active involvement of the people in the planning process, the communication of their preferences, demands, interests, needs, and collective problems and aspirations in relation to those in charge of democratic development policies. For many, particularly in the rural areas, citizen participation has proved problematic as it is often tied up to the implementation of development projects conceptualized and spearheaded by outsiders. Participatory approaches provide few insights as to how to go about resolving the contradictions and paradoxes that participation unveils when introduced into systems with long histories of top-down approaches to decision-making. In Uganda, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government introduced a participatory development programme of National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) which entails contracting Agricultural Extension Services (AES). This was done to boost participation, expand coverage andimprove agricultural performance in rural areas. The objective of this dissertation was to analyse elites and grassroots understandings of democracy and citizen participation using the case study of NAADS programme. To achieve this objective, a variety of research assessment criteria – qualitative and quantitative interviews with elites and grassroots – were employed. The results demonstrate that Uganda has made strides towards encouraging inclusive and meaningful participation through NAADS in Bushenyi district. Yet the research also illustrates that there are salient mismatches in terms of perceptions that exist between elites and grassroots conceptualisations of citizen participation in NAADS. The majority of elites interviewed were concerned with getting NAADS programme right as required by the legislative frameworks, rather than creating ties with grassroots with a view to promoting participatory development and empowering grassroots communities. The grassroots communities exhibited willingness to participate in the NAADS programme, although the research findings illustrate that it has been implemented in a top-down fashion. There is also proof to show that NAADS participants were barely consulted in making decisions and no effective mechanisms are in place to handle complaints inclusively. Although there is evidence to show participation in the NAADS programme improves the socioeconomic reality of farmers elsewhere in Uganda, this has not been consistently the case in Bushenyi. The dissertation concludes by underlining the benefits of democracy and citizen participation, but cautions that the findings show that the discourse on democracy and citizen participation, like any other discourse, contains many practical limits.
An Examination of the Impact of Administrative Decentralisation on Participatory Local Government and Service Delivery in Tanzania
(University of the Western Cape, 2015) Mhina, Charles Ernest; Tapscott, Christopher
Over the course of the past three decades bi-lateral and multi-lateral donor agencies, academics and practitioners have expressed the conviction that decentralisation of administrative and political authority to the local level is of central importance to public sector reform programmes in developing states both as a means to improve service delivery and to deepen democracy. However, many states in Africa have had disappointing experiences with decentralisation which have variously been attributed to the underfunding of local governments, a lack of administrative capacity and corruption. In the light of this, a number of scholars have argued that decentralisation in Africa has achieved little in the delivery of basic services and in the deepening democracy at the local level. This has raised concerns that decentralisation, whilst necessary, is not a sufficient condition for ensuring local socio-economic development and participatory governance. This thesis sets out to examine the process of administrative and political decentralisation in Tanzania since it attained independence in 1961, paying particular attention to the current local government reform programme which consists of a parallel system of devolved and de-concentrated government authority implemented through the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF). This hybrid model of decentralisation, which is heavily reliant on donor aid, has been in place for over a decade and a half. The thesis considers the extent to which the combination of decentralised and de-concentrated forms of administration represents an accommodation between the neo-liberal agenda of donors (concerned with the diminution of central state power) and the policy interests of the Tanzanian government (concerned about a lack of local capacity and domestic politics). Based on a case study of three municipalities (Tanga city, and the Lindi and Morogoro district councils) the thesis examines the extent to which the hybrid model is meeting its stated objectives of strengthening local government, improving service delivery, and promoting effective citizen participation. In so doing it examines the particular role of TASAF and the extent to which its activities are supporting the development of effective local government. Empirical evidence, which was generated through a mixed methods approach based on both quantitative and qualitative research, suggests that, notwithstanding the concerns of some local politicians that the model has undermined the authority of local councils, the v combination of local administrative coordination and the technical and financial support of TASAF, has led to significant improvements in the delivery of social services since the reform programme was launched. The thesis also found that the majority of respondents believed that the hybrid model had served to deepen local democracy to a far greater extent than decentralisation reforms of the past. It also concluded that, in spite its evident potential, the future of the hybrid model in Tanzania is highly uncertain, given that it remains heavily reliant on donor funding and is subject to the aid conditionalities imposed upon it. Unless the government is able to increase its own funding of TASAF, the hybrid model is likely to collapse due to the changed funding priorities of bi-lateral and multilateral donor agencies.
A critical evaluation of institutional architecture for effective policy implementation, oversight and accountability in the energy sector of South Africa: a petroleum perspective.
(University of the Western Cape, 2015) Makiva, Msuthukazi; ILE, ISIOMA UREGU
Coordination, Collaboration, and Cooperation, (C04); Community (C01) Driven Development (D2) minus Historical Institutionalisation (HI) is equal to Policy Implementation Effectiveness (PIE), is recommended by the researcher to improve results. Trends in compiled data were analysed with regards to legislative oversight and accountability in the petroleum industry, using the OECD/ DAC evaluation criteria. In terms of relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency, the researcher discovered a partial link between the activities performed by parliamentarians representing the petroleum industry where HDSA transformation is concerned. It was concluded that electrical energy generation and distribution throughout the five-year period drew more focus in terms of oversight than on other sectors. It was further noted that oversight and accountability could have been applied more efficiently if input were linked to policy objectives and activities. This resulted in only partial or limited HDSA transformation in the petroleum industry. When it comes to sustainability the researcher argued that despite the apparent long-term stability of parliamentary activities, such stability may not translate to sufficient oversight and accountability to ensure sustainable transformation in the petroleum industry. It was concluded that while oversight and accountability was being applied to one specific arena, other areas in need of transformation did not receive sufficient, or indeed any, legislative oversight. The facilitation model: Communication, Coordination, Collaboration, and Cooperation, (C04); and Community (C01) Driven Oversight and Accountability (D1OA) is recommended by the researcher to improve effective oversight and accountability. Thus, Effective (A + O) = C04 + C01 /D1OA equals to (A + O)e = C205 / D1OA.
Fostering change through effective leadership: a case study of the City of Cape Town
(University of the Western Cape, 2015) Davids, Bradley; Esau, Michelle
Despite the fact that local government is nothing like it was several decades ago in terms of the numerous reform changes it has undergone, within the South African context we find that many of the elements of bureaucracy still represent local government institutions. In this regard bureaucratic structures were designed to have compliant employees who make decisions according to specified behaviours and rules. This feature of bureaucracy ensures that its leaders are not encouraged to take risks. In a bureaucracy it is preferable to stick to the tried and tested habits and practices as it is against these metrics that performance is assessed and promotions awarded. Innovative, entrepreneurial leaders run the risk of losing their jobs if they endeavour to either think or step outside of the box. The notion of embedding an innovative culture therefore becomes a challenge within the constraints of the public sector. There is an uneasy tension between the need for a cultural revolution of outdated bureaucracies in order to enhance flexibility and innovation on the one hand, and the desire to maintain the standards and procedures that are necessary for quality, accountable services to a broad range of stakeholders on the other. In effect there is tension between the need to be innovative and compliant. In this regard the adaptive local government organisation might be one that is not too prominent in terms of innovative cultural characteristics. But it might be one that displays both innovative and bureaucratic organisational cultural characteristics as it strives to achieve this dual objective of innovation and compliance. The study aims to see if transformational leadership principles can be applied under the prevailing conditions of policy, laws and strict compliance within local government. This study is based on the belief that leadership can influence organisational culture as it tries to bring about change. Leaders have to be up for the challenge to create an open culture that encourages change. By developing cultures that foster innovation leaders can help their organisations become more responsive to the changes in the external environment and become more effective. In order for their organisations to become more innovative, leaders would have to change their leadership practices and approaches to shape the new culture of their organisations. In this regard the buzzword over the last few decades in public administration has been change. One of the essential elements of leadership is change. Leaders are agents of change, be it at organisational level or at societal level. They represent the catalysts of social movements. Such a context is suitable for a transformational type of leadership. They can fulfil this role by inspiring those around them, setting an example and creating a vision of the future that is both attractive and credible. The transformational leadership theory starts from these premises. The transformational leader asks followers to transcend their own self-interest for the good of the group, organisation, or society, to consider their long-term need for self-development rather than their need of the moment and to become more aware of what is really important (Bass, 2008: 50). Schein (1997:15) reminds us that leadership and organisational culture are two sides of the same coin. The one cannot be studied without consideration for the other. Organisational culture therefore plays an important role in the effectiveness of the reform process. It is within this context of reform and change that leadership and organisational culture become relevant topics of discussion. It is against this backdrop that the study takes a look at the City of Cape Town’s attempts to implement strategies that promotes the type of organisational culture that can advance transformation and change as it strives towards the objective of becoming a world-class city.

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