Abstract
The role and relevance of chiefs remains a contested terrain in political discourse in Malawi, as is the case in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa (Englebert 2002; Ntsebeza 2004; Ribot 2002).1 In Malawi, chieftaincy represents an institutionalized form of traditional rule with the cardinal characteristics of prescribed kinship, lineage succession to office, and significant influence, particularly in rural areas. Debate over the role of the chiefs and the extent to which their rule embodies democratic principles has increased in recent years due to the country’s transition toward democracy in 1994 and the subsequent adoption of democratic decentralization in 1998. Primarily, democratic decentralization is aimed at creating opportunities for competitive local-level electoral politics and local-level institutions that are “downwardly accountable to local populations” (Agrawal and Ribot 1999: 478). Such reforms entail a system of governance in which citizens possess the right to hold local public officials to account through elections, collective action, and other democratic means (Johnson 2001).
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© 2007 Lars Buur and Helene Maria Kyed
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Chiweza, A.L. (2007). The Ambivalent Role of Chiefs: Rural Decentralization Initiatives in Malawi. In: Buur, L., Kyed, H.M. (eds) State Recognition and Democratization in Sub-Saharan Africa. Palgrave Studies in Governance, Security, and Development. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230609716_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230609716_3
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