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Public Financial Management for PRSP - Deutsches Institut für ...

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Stefan Leiderer et al.<br />

its relevance <strong>for</strong> the PFM in so far as the absence of a dysfunctional system in favour<br />

of arbitrary procedures and weak institutions is a precondition <strong>for</strong> successful and<br />

sustainable management of finances <strong>for</strong> development.<br />

a<br />

b<br />

c<br />

Elections are held in five-year terms. The president and the legislative branch are<br />

elected at the same time (CIA Factbook, 2004).<br />

UDF entered a coalition with AFORD (Alliance <strong>for</strong> Democracy) and the Malawi Congress<br />

Party (MCP). The characteristic of national party politics became clear after the<br />

elections. All three parties are not characterised by strong ideological ties but frequent<br />

shifts of alliances. Personality matters and people vote along regional patterns: UDF<br />

established strong ties in the south with connections to the Chamber of Commerce.<br />

AFORD shows affinity to the north and various trade unions, whereas the <strong>for</strong>mer Banda<br />

party MCP could preserve its connections to the centre region of Malawi (Hussein<br />

2004, 109-112)<br />

Muluzi is a <strong>for</strong>mer MCP member, who – like many other politicians in Malawi –<br />

changed his party affiliation after the end of the Banda era.<br />

4.2 Decentralisation in Malawi<br />

Malawi is a unitary state with strong centralistic features. However in recent<br />

years, it has begun to devolve functions and responsibilities to local levels of<br />

government. This new approach is not least due to donors, who felt that a<br />

fresh impetus was needed and hence strongly argued <strong>for</strong> the need to develop<br />

a national decentralisation strategy. Thus, when in 1995 a new constitution<br />

was adopted it entailed the requirement to establish local government authorities.<br />

In 1998 the National Decentralisation Policy (NDP) was approved, and<br />

incorporated into the Local Government Act. The NDP along with the Local<br />

Government Act provide the main framework <strong>for</strong> decentralisation in Malawi.<br />

This framework establishes political decentralisation through democratically<br />

elected local assemblies and the devolution of central government functions<br />

to local government level.<br />

The NDP is <strong>for</strong>mulated and reviewed by a Cabinet Committee on Decentralisation<br />

and seeks to achieve the following objectives (Decentralisation Secretariat<br />

1998, 2–3):<br />

— creating a democratic environment and institutions in Malawi <strong>for</strong> governance<br />

and development; at the local level which will facilitate the participation<br />

of the grassroots in decision-making;<br />

48 German Development <strong>Institut</strong>e

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