Decentralisation in the Democratic Republic of Congo Challenges and Opportunities for Former Katanga Province

Abstract

This research seeks to investigate opinions of people from the former Katanga province about decentralisation made in the Democratic Republic of Congo (D.R.C.) through the splitting up of provinces. In addition, the research seeks to demonstrate the extent to which the process of decentralisation is a challenge or an opportunity for the country. Due to the protracted conflict the DRC initiated decentralisation in its current constitution, fruit of the Sun City Accord signed after around a decade of war in 2002. The aim was to bring the governed and the governors closer together and improve local development across the country. In order to achieve this, the study used interviews, focus group discussions as instruments of data collection. The documentary review method was also used to provide information on the decentralisation theory. Decentralisation is the transfer of authority, responsibility, and resources through de-concentration, delegation, or devolution from the center to peripheral levels of administration. In the most recent literature, devolution seems to be considered as the purest or at least the most extensive form of decentralisation in as far as the central government transfer authority for decision-making, finance and administrative management to quasi-autonomous units of local government. Here is what this study recommends to the DRC through its policy-makers in order to make decentralisation process efficient then avoid protracted conflict pertaining to centralisation of the governance system. The DRC have to decentralise the country through devolution which include distributive justice, rule of law and participative governance.