Abstract

This study is about decentralization and Corruption in Malawi. It looks at the role of Political decentralization in facilitating corruption in Malawi by drawing on experiences from three local Assemblies of Lilongwe City, Dedza Town and Nkhotakota District. In doing so the study also explores the link between decentralization and corruption in light of the ongoing debate on whether decentralization facilitates or reduces corruption. The study design was qualitative and it involved conducting interviews with people who have gone through the experience of local assemblies including the former councilors, former ex-officio members of the assemblies, members of the Secretariat of the assemblies, officials of National Local Government Finance Committee, Anti-Corruption Bureau, National Audit Office and Ministry of Local Government. The main argument is that corruption in political decentralization can be explained by examining the structural features in order to establish the root causes of corruption. Contrary to the general belief that political decentralization helps to curb corruption, the study found that political decentralization in Malawi actually facilitates corruption because it offers unregulated control and discretion to elected officials over programs and different levels of jobs without providing adequate mechanisms for holding the elected officials accountable. Through the structures in local assemblies councilors made decisions and resolutions which sidelined and did not conform to the rules and regulations guiding local assemblies in order to satisfy private or sectional interest.

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School	: School of Humanities and Social Sciences
Issued Date	: 2010

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