Reviewed International Journal of Political Science and Public Administration

CIVIL SOCIETY ADVOCACY AND MULTI-STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION FOR INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE

2026-04-06T18:02:43-05:00

This paper examines the role of civil society advocacy and multi-stakeholder collaboration in promoting inclusive governance in Africa, with specific reference to the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and related normative frameworks. Methodologically, it draws on a qualitative approach combining documentary analysis of African Union (AU) legal and policy instruments with grounded insights from five semi-structured interviews conducted in Ghana, involving actors from local government, youth leadership, academia, civil society, and grassroots citizen engagement. The paper argues that civil society organisations (CSOs) operate within a historically contested space shaped by colonial legacies and post-independence governance models that often marginalise civic participation. It presents evidence that, despite persistent structural constraints, CSOs continue to serve as watchdogs, civic educators, and co-creators of public policy, particularly where and when they are institutionally recognised and meaningfully engaged. Key discussion areas include the shrinking of civic space, politicisation of legitimacy, and promising multi-stakeholder models such as participatory budgeting and citizen-led monitoring. Drawing on comparative insights from Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, and Tunisia, the paper demonstrates that inclusive governance is most effectively realised when collaboration is not just symbolic or token but embedded in law, practice, and governance architectural systems. The paper concludes by underscoring the need to move beyond fragmented participation and toward enabling frameworks that secure civil society’s long-term role. The paper suggests a need to embed civil society engagement as a core component of governance across AU Member States. Member States should consider the formal institutionalisation of multi-stakeholder platforms and the development of domestic civic endowment funds to reduce donor dependency.

THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF OVERLAPPING REGIONAL ECONOMIC COMMUNITY MEMBERSHIP

2026-04-10T00:12:47-05:00

This paper examines the political economy implications of overlapping Regional Economic Community (REC) membership in East Africa, focusing on Rwanda, Kenya, and the United Republic of Tanzania. While regional integration is intended to promote trade, overlapping memberships in the East African Community (EAC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), and Southern African Development Community (SADC) generate complex trade and regulatory outcomes. Using a mixed-methods approach combining descriptive trade analysis and institutional review, the study finds that overlapping REC membership contributes to trade diversion and regulatory fragmentation. These effects increase transaction costs, distort trade flows, and weaken policy coherence. The findings suggest that although overlapping memberships provide political and strategic advantages, they undermine economic efficiency. The paper concludes with policy recommendations for harmonization under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

JUDICIAL OVERSIGHT OF PUBLIC FINANCES IN WEST AFRICA BETWEEN INSTITUTIONAL LEGACY, LIMITED EFFECTIVENESS, AND PROSPECTS FOR HYBRIDIZATION

2026-04-27T19:55:04-05:00

This study examines judicial oversight of public finances in West Africa using a comparative analysis of Mali and Germany, with a focus on institutional legacy, enforcement capacity, and prospects for hybrid governance reform. The study adopts a qualitative comparative case study design based on secondary data sources drawn from IMF governance reports, OECD public financial management assessments, policy briefs, and peer-reviewed literature (2021–2025). Findings reveal that Mali’s judicial oversight system is constrained by strong executive dominance, limited judicial autonomy, weak enforcement of audit findings, institutional instability, and inadequate financial independence of the judiciary, all of which significantly weaken fiscal accountability. In contrast, Germany demonstrates a highly effective oversight system characterized by strong constitutional safeguards, robust institutional coordination, high transparency, and efficient enforcement of financial regulations through integrated judicial and audit mechanisms. The comparative analysis highlights a significant gap between fragile and mature governance systems, emphasizing that institutional effectiveness depends not only on formal structures but also on enforcement capacity and coordination among accountability institutions. The study concludes that hybrid governance models combining judicial strengthening, digital public financial management systems, audit–judicial integration, and enhanced transparency mechanisms offer the most viable pathway for improving fiscal accountability in Mali and similar West African states.