Political Transition and Inclusive Development in Malawi Malawi is among the few countries in sub-Saharan Africa that has witnessed signifi cant improvements in relation to meeting the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets. It exhibits some of the main challenges facing African democracies while they attempt to consolidate the benefi ts of democratisation. Political Transition and Inclusive Development in Malawi critically analyses opportunities and constraints related to the impact of democracy on development in one of the world’s poorest countries. The book explores how, and to what extent, processes related to democratic and economic governance can be strengthened in order to make political and administrative authorities more responsive to development needs. It also considers characteristics of successful implementation of public policy and the effective and timely delivery of basic services in local contexts; increased citizen participation and dialogue with local government authorities; factors that enable civil society organisations to hold political and administrative offi cials to account; and better utilisation of academic research for improved evidence-based policy formulation and implementation. This volume will be of great interest to scholars in development studies, African studies, politics, law and anthropology, as well as policymakers and those interested in democracy, governance, human rights and the implementation of anti-poverty programmes, development administration and decentralisation. Dan Banik is Professor of Political Science and Research Director at the Centre for Development and the Environment, University of Oslo, Norway. He is also a Consulting Scholar at the Center on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law at Stanford University, USA. Blessings Chinsinga is Professor at the Department of Political and Administrative Studies at Chancellor College, University of Malawi, Malawi. He is also Deputy Director of the University of Malawi’s Centre for Social Research. Routledge Studies in African Development Self-Determination and Secession in Africa The post-colonial state Edited by Redie Bereketeab Economic Growth and Development in Africa Understanding global trends and prospects Horman Chitonge African Youth and the Persistence of Marginalization Employment, politics and prospects for change Edited by Danielle Resnick and James Thurlow HIV and East Africa Thirty years in the shadow of an epidemic Janet Seeley Development Discourse and Global History From colonialism to the sustainable development goals Aram Ziai Higher Education and Capacity Building in Africa The geography and power of knowledge under changing conditions Hanne Kirstine Adriansen, Lene Møller Madsen and Stig Jensen Gender and the Political Economy of Confl ict in Africa The persistence of violence Meredeth Turshen Social Innovation in Africa A practical guide for scaling impact Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli Political Transition and Inclusive Development in Malawi The democratic dividend Edited by Dan Banik and Blessings Chinsinga Political Transition and Inclusive Development in Malawi The democratic dividend Edited by Dan Banik and Blessings Chinsinga First published 2016 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2016 selection and editorial matter, Dan Banik and Blessings Chinsinga; individual chapters, the contributors The right of the editor to be identifi ed as the author of the editorial material, and of the authors for their individual chapters, has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 4.0 license Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identifi cation and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Banik, Dan, 1969- editor. | Chinsinga, Blessings, editor. Title: Political transition and inclusive development in Malawi : the democratic dividend / edited by Dan Banik and Blessings Chinsinga. Description: New York, NY : Routledge, 2016. Identifi ers: LCCN 2016000882| ISBN 9781138925212 (hb) | ISBN 9781315683898 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Malawi--Politics and government--1994- | Malawi-- Economic conditions. | Democracy--Malawi. | Economic development--Malawi. Classifi cation: LCC DT3237.3 .P65 2016 | DDC 968.97042--dc23 LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016000882_ ISBN: 978-1-138-92521-2 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-68389-8 (ebk) Typeset in Goudy by Saxon Graphics Ltd, Derby Contents List of fi gures vii List of tables ix Notes on contributors xi Acknowledgements xv 1 Introduction 1 DAN BANIK AND BLESSINGS CHINSINGA PART I Democratization and political culture 13 2 Progress or stagnation? Twenty years of democracy 15 BONIFACE DULANI 3 Political parties, political settlement and development 35 KIZITO TENTHANI AND BLESSINGS CHINSINGA 4 Judicialisation and informalisation of politics in Malawi: Implications for inclusive development 57 FIDELIS EDGE KANYONGOLO PART II Governance and policy implementation 73 5 Politics and the public service 75 LEWIS B. DZIMBIRI vi Contents 6 The political economy of fi scal decentralisation: Implications on local governance and public service delivery 95 ASIYATI LORRAINE CHIWEZA 7 Searching for a holy grail? The nexus between agriculture and youth unemployment 112 BLESSINGS CHINSINGA AND MICHAEL CHASUKWA PART III Activism, aid and accountability 131 8 Against all odds: Parliamentary oversight over a dominant executive 133 NANDINI PATEL 9 The impact of emerging donors on development and poverty reduction 147 DAN BANIK AND MICHAEL CHASUKWA 10 Women, media and culture in democratic Malawi 169 HAPPY MICKSON KAYUNI 11 Major conclusions 188 DAN BANIK AND BLESSINGS CHINSINGA Index 197 Figures 2.1 Model of regime consolidation 18 2.2 Freedom House scores for Malawi (reversed Freedom House scores, 1994–2014) 20 2.3 Polity index scores for Malawi, 1990–2013 20 2.4 Malawi Ibrahim index of African governance scores, 2007–14 22 2.5 Support for and perceived extent of democracy, 1999–2014 23 2.6 Support for democracy in Malawi, 1999–2014 24 2.7 Rejection of non-democratic alternatives in Malawi, 1999–2014 25 2.8 Modelling true democrats 27 2.9 Demand for democracy in Malawi, 1999–2014 27 2.10 Demand and supply of democracy in Malawi, 1999–2014 30 10.1 Participation in political discussion by gender, 2002–14 180 10.2 Interest in public affairs, by gender, 2002–14 180 Tables 2.1 Approval of authoritarian rule among different socio-economic groups in Malawi, 2014 26 2.2 Demand for democracy among socio-demographic groups in Malawi, 2014 28 2.3 The effects of economic performance on demand for democracy, 2014 29 3.1 Participation of parties in parliamentary elections, 2014 44 3.2 Results from parliamentary elections, 1994–2014 45 6.1 Functions devolved to local government councils 99 6.2 Constituency development fund in relation to gross district council capital expenditures, 2006–14 104 6.3 Share of local government spending in total government spending, 2006–14 109 9.1 Major examples of Chinese assistance to Malawi in fi rst phase, 2008–12 157 9.2 Major examples of Chinese assistance to Malawi in second phase, 2013 to date 158 Notes on contributors Dan Banik is professor of political science and research director at the Centre for Development and the Environment, University of Oslo. He is also a consulting scholar at Stanford University’s Centre on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law and a visiting professor at China Agricultural University in Beijing. Prof. Banik has conducted research in India, China, Bangladesh, Malawi, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, South Africa and Mexico, and directs the interdisciplinary research program ‘Poverty and Development in the 21st Century (PAD)’ at the University of Oslo. He has previously served as the head of the Norwegian–Finnish Trust Fund in the World Bank for Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development (TFESSD) and on the Board of the Norwegian Crown Prince and Crown Princess’s Foundation. His books include The Legal Empowerment Agenda: Poverty, Labour and the Informal Economy in Africa (2011, Ashgate), Poverty and Elusive Development (2010, Scandinavian University Press) and Starvation and India’s Democracy (2009, Routledge). Michael Chasukwa is a Senior Lecturer and former Head of the Department of Political and Administrative Studies, Chancellor College, University of Malawi. He holds an MA (Political Science) and BA (Public Administration) from the University of Malawi. His research and teaching interests include development aid, political economy of development, agricultural policies as they relate to land, youth and development, local government, governance and decentralization. He is currently a PhD candidate in development studies in the School of Politics and International Studies at the University of Leeds. Mr Chasukwa has published in peer-reviewed articles in several international journals including International Journal of Public Administration, Journal of Development Effectiveness, Africa Review and Journal of Asian and African