State Recognition of Local Authorities and Public Participation

The anthology “State Recognition of Local Authorities and Public Participation - Experiences, Obstacles and Possibilities in Mozambique” is edited by Lars Buur (DIIS), Helene Maria Kyed (DIIS) and the Mozambican scholar Terezinha da Silva (CFJJ). Covering chapter contributions by a wide mixture of foreign and Mozambican scholars, the anthology looks at the implications that post-war decentralization reform has for community participation, local authority and justice enforcement. It addresses these issues from the perspective of rural as well as urban settings. A key focus is on the recent state recognition of traditional leaders and other local community authorities, who are envisaged to play the dual-role of state assistants and representatives of rural community interests. Two chapters on traditional authority in Zambia and South Africa help shed light on developments in Mozambique as part of the wider Southern African context.

The book is divided into four parts: Southern African Perspectives; Historical Perspectives on Traditional Authority; Official Recognition and its Impacts; Local Authorities and Alternatives. The epilogue by Christopher Tanner discusses three decentralization contexts in contemporary Mozambique (traditional leaders, decentralized district level planning and participatory, community-based development) and critically scrutinizes the implications for the future, including with respect to ‘access to justice’.

The book is the result of an international seminar held on 12-13 May 2005 at the Centre for juridical training (CFJJ) in Matola, Mozambique. The seminar brought together government officials, development practitioners, and Mozambican and foreign scholars, and invigorated vivid and critical discussions on decentralization reform, community participation and the role played by local leaders in post-war state formation. The seminar was funded by SIDA and DANIDA and based on collaboration between the Danish Institute for International Studies, the Nordic Africa Institute (Sweden) and CFJJJ.

The book by Lars Buur, Helene Maria Kyed and Terezinha da Silva is available at the DIIS Library (unfortunately it is only on sale in Mozambique).