Comparative Conclusion

The discussion of the three case-studies bring to the fore three important points. The need to achieve democratic participation and enhance public service delivery is a common denominator underlying decentralization in the three countries.

Second, the case-studies reveal marked differences in the constitutional place and status of local government and its implications for the autonomy of local government. Local government in Ethiopia has barely any constitutional recognition, except to the extent that it is linked with the right to self-rule of intra-state ethnic minorities. In the dual federal system of Ethiopia, local gov­ernment is an exclusive competence of the states with little constitutional pro­tection. In the absence of explicit constitutional principle requiring the states to provide local government with a degree of political autonomy, the states seem to have chosen to allow a very limited political and financial autonomy to local government. The Zimbabwean constitution leaves matters affecting local autonomy to be legislatively defined. For instance, parliament is authorized to define sources of local government revenue, but as of 2019 had not done so. At the other extreme, the South African constitution not only recognizes local government as one the three spheres of government, but specifies both local government competences and sources of revenue. Local government in South Africa hence enjoys both political and financial autonomy. Whenever the autonomy of local government is challenged, the Constitutional Court comes to the rescue.

Third, all three countries are characterized by the existence of a dominant political party.

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