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National policy in local practice: the case of Rwanda

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  • Malin Hasselskog
  • Isabell Schierenbeck

Abstract

Far reaching decentralisation reform has been launched in Rwanda, intended to contribute to socioeconomic development as well as to reconstruction and reconciliation. While the reform is well in line with the international trend of a ‘local turn’, the Rwandan government makes a point of not letting donors or other external actors set the agenda. Determined to formulate its own policies, thus claiming ‘national ownership’, it has, within the frame of decentralisation, launched several development programmes to be locally implemented and to promote local participation and downward accountability. However, the reform and programmes are designed and decided upon in a top-down manner by the central national leadership. This article analyses local experiences and perceptions of decentralisation and related programmes, and investigates whether and how such reform provides for local participation and downward accountability. It concludes that nationally owned reform is not necessarily an alternative to externally initiated and driven reform; neither local participation nor downward accountability was enhanced. The study builds on official policy documents and semi-structured interviews with Rwandan residents and local officials.

Suggested Citation

  • Malin Hasselskog & Isabell Schierenbeck, 2015. "National policy in local practice: the case of Rwanda," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 36(5), pages 950-966, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:ctwqxx:v:36:y:2015:i:5:p:950-966
    DOI: 10.1080/01436597.2015.1030386
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    Cited by:

    1. Mugisha, Joshua & Ratemo, Mike Arasa & Bunani Keza, Bienvenu Christian & Kahveci, Hayriye, 2021. "Assessing the opportunities and challenges facing the development of off-grid solar systems in Eastern Africa: The cases of Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    2. Ada Górna & Krzysztof Górny, 2021. "Singapore vs. the ‘Singapore of Africa’—Different Approaches to Managing Urban Agriculture," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-28, September.
    3. Iwona Bisaga & Priti Parikh & Yacob Mulugetta & Yohannes Hailu, 2019. "The potential of performance targets (imihigo) as drivers of energy planning and extending access to off‐grid energy in rural Rwanda," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 8(1), January.
    4. Malin Hasselskog, 2018. "Rwandan “home grown initiatives†: Illustrating inherent contradictions of the democratic developmental state," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(3), pages 309-328, May.
    5. Malin Hasselskog, 2020. "What happens to local participation when national ownership gets stronger? Initiating an exploration in Rwanda and Cambodia," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 38(S1), pages 91-111, May.
    6. Morag Goodwin, 2022. "Evaluating the Success of Decentralisation in Facilitating the Inclusion of Rwanda’s Marginalised," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 34(5), pages 2251-2271, October.

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