Challenges and Lessons Learned

216 Adrienne Shall

The result has been less conflict and more eagerness to use dialogue to solve differences.Marches have not occurred protesting local budgets (as they did in the past),suggesting that citizens now accept and feel ownership offunding.This has allowed speedier approval ofthe budget and more timely implementation.Citizens have a better appreciation ofwhat the council does and how services are costed.As a result,they are more willing to pay for services.

In Gweru participatory processes have resulted in a more simplified budget format that is easier for citizens to understand.Citizens have been involved in developing a strategic plan that shapes the city’s future and guides the budget process.There is also an increased sense ofownership and belonging regarding the budget process and a reduction in suspicions of abuse offunds and lack oftransparency.As citizens are more involved, budgets are produced more quickly and implemented on time.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

Participatory budgeting has already met with successes in Africa,but challenges remain.Important lessons have been learned as subnational governments try to deal with these challenges.

Challenges Many ofthe countries reviewed face similar challenges,including a lack of capacity,a limited understanding ofthe roles and responsibilities ofall actors,the limited scope ofparticipation,legislative constraints,inadequate monitoring and evaluation systems,a lack oftransparency and trust,a breakdown in communication,insufficient resources,and political and social differences.Not all the countries reviewed have experienced all of these challenges,but many are common to all.

Every country reviewed cited the lack ofcapacity ofcouncillors,municipal officials,and citizens as the most serious impediment to civic participation in planning and budgetary processes.Citizens are often not aware of their right to participate,and they lack an understanding and awareness of policy-making and budgetary processes.The low level ofliteracy hampers participation.Citizens with very low levels ofeducation tend to participate less,because they lack access to information and do not understand municipal procedures.As a result,the budget-making process involves mainly the elite.The language used in discussing policy and budgets is often technical and introduces unfamiliar concepts.The discussion is therefore beyond

Sub-Saharan Africa’s Experience with Participatory Budgeting 217

thecomprehension ofboth councillors and the people they represent.This means that residents and councillors are often excluded from participating effectively in the policy and budgetary decision-making processes.In some countries,residents in a given area may speak different languages,making it difficult for them to fully participate in discussions.

Some councillors,especially those from rural areas,have not had adequate training and are therefore unable to impart the relevant information and inform their constituents on council activities.This makes it difficulty for them to articulate the problems and needs oftheir constituencies during council debates.Municipal officials themselves may lack the necessary technical capacity.

In most ofthe countries under review,the roles and responsibilities of the different actors were not clearly understood.This resulted in certain actors assuming responsibilities that were inappropriate.In particular,the distinction between the roles ofofficials and the roles ofcouncillors was not always clearly defined.In some instances,officials made decisions that should have been made by the political body.In doing so,they manipulated the budgeting and planning processes,using councillors as rubber stamps. Some countries also experienced misunderstandings over state departments’ role in the budgeting process.

In some countries citizens participate in decision making only with regard to the capital budget,which represents a small part ofthe entire budget.They are not included in discussions ofrevenue sources or the setting ofrates and tariffs.

The monitoring and evaluation ofprojects is weak,and the process does not involve citizen participation.Improving the monitoring and evaluation process would enhance the accountability ofcouncillors and the administration to the community.

In Mozambique,Uganda,Zambia,and Zimbabwe,legislative constraints limit civic participation.There are no specific provisions for direct public participation in decision making at the municipal level.Instead,it is assumed that participation will happen indirectly.

Civic participation is also hampered by a lack oftransparency in the use ofpublic funds.In Uganda,for example,provisions in the law ensure transparent and accountable use offinancial resources at the local level,but many ofthese provisions have not been acted on because oflack ofcapacity. Subnational governments lack the capacity to prepare the necessary books ofaccounts and enforce strict financial discipline;central government institutions lack the capacity to follow up on audit recommendations in a timely and comprehensive manner.

218 Adrienne Shall

In Zambia fiscal transfers from the central government are unpredictable.Councils do not have information about funding policies,the amounts available for distribution from various sources,the criteria or formula adopted in disbursing grants,or the reasons for delays in releasing funds.This uncertainty makes it difficult ifnot impossible to plan for and use resources effectively.

Lack ofresources,both financial and physical,has had a negative impact on citizen participation.In some instances,dependence on donor funding to run participatory processes makes the participation process tenuous.The large size ofthe population in some towns and cities puts pressure on the resources available for participatory activities,as more meetings need to be held and more people require transport.In rural areas,where large distances must be covered, the council has to pay transport and subsistence costs in order to make it possible for citizens to attend meetings and participate in decision making.

Councillors often lack institutional and resource bases to meaningfully consult with the people they represent.They lack the physical infrastructure, such as information management systems,as well as the human resource capacity necessary for encouraging participation among their constituencies.

Participation is still viewed with suspicion in some ofthe countries under review,sometimes with reason.Some councillors have ignored what has come up through the participatory process,instead putting forward issues that suit them.Issues raised by individuals or groups have sometimes been lost in the communication process from village to ward to municipal council.

In Uganda the relationship between the council and citizens has improved greatly,but suspicion between the two still exists.Invitation letters are reportedly sent to some civic groups after meetings have been held. Some councils still deliberately exclude civic groups from council meetings. In Zambia even where citizens are aware oftheir right to attend council meetings and are informed about the schedules ofthese meetings,most will not attend,mainly because they have lost confidence in local authorities.In Zimbabwe elected officials view civic groups with suspicion.

In all the countries reviewed,ineffective communication between the subnational government and citizens has a negative impact on civic participation. In South Africa communication among councillors,ward committees,and departments within the administration is not as good as it should be.There is also a lack ofcommunication between the representatives oforganizations who attend the major stakeholder meetings and their constituencies.Members ofthe community often complain that their representatives do not provide feedback from the meetings they attend.In Uganda logistical andfinancial limitations hamper council efforts to inform citizens about

Sub-Saharan Africa’s Experience with Participatory Budgeting 219

procedures and policies.Most poor people also lack resources to buy newspapers and radios,which provide information about council procedures.

In many countries the budgetary participation process does not start early enough,limiting the amount oftime available for consultation.In some cases people feel that meetings are merely informational rather than participatory.Often these meetings are held at times when people are at work or at venues that require them to travel long distances.

Political and social differences also affect participation.Political differences in Tanzania diminished the solidarity and cohesiveness ofcommunities, reducing the level ofparticipation in planning and budgeting or stalling the process in affected areas.In the Kabwe Municipal Council in Zambia,inclusion ofpolitical appointees in the form ofa deputy minister and permanent secretary in the governance structure ofthe council reduced the level ofcivic participation.Local stakeholders pull in different directions due to conflicting instructions from the provincial political leadership on the one hand and the principal officers ofthe council on the other hand.

In South Africa social and cultural differences between areas that were once all white and areas that were once all black remain.The participation process must be able to meet the needs ofthe diverse communities that municipalities in South Africa serve.In Zimbabwe populations in cities tend to be more diverse.Reconciling different cultures poses tremendous challenges, because different needs surface as priorities.

Lessons Learned

Important lessons have been learned in implementing participatory mechanisms.The main lessons learned from the experiences ofthe countries reviewed are described below.

Garner political will and create an appropriate legislative framework Successful civic participation requires the political will to engage with citizens: in countries in which participatory processes have been successful,political support for civic involvement has been consistent.Such support creates an atmosphere oftrust and allows citizens to feel that they are playing a role in determining how local government structures spend their resources and how such spending will affect their lives.

The constitution as well as all legislation relating to local government should recognize autonomous local government and enshrine the value of participation.Countries in which participatory budgeting has been successful have put in place an institutional and regulatory environment that allows for

220 Adrienne Shall

local autonomy and direct participation ofcitizens in decision making that has an impact on local communities.

Build the capacity oflocal actors Extensive and continuous capacity building ofcouncillors,officials,and citizens is key to successful budgetary participation.In every country reviewed, empowering communities with knowledge ofthe budget process and technical skills to analyze budgets enabled more direct participation.Capacity building increases understanding ofthe municipal planning and budget cycle and how resource allocation occurs,allowing communities to provide more meaningful input into the process.Experience shows that councillors and local officials who have received training are better able to engage with citizens and encourage them to participate in planning and budgeting processes.

Continuing civic education and capacity building is a top priority in dealing with the challenges ofparticipatory budgeting.Communities that have provided ongoing training workshops have seen significant improvement in the quality and quantity ofthe input received by citizens.For example,in Ilala municipality,Tanzania,where training was provided to all stakeholders,the participatory budget became more realistic and priorities were much more clearly identified.In Singida district municipality,Tanzania, extensive and continuous awareness building and public education improved the effectiveness ofparticipation, allowing specific problems to be addressed through the budget process.

Training ofofficials and councillors also improves interaction and understanding among all actors.The training workshops should have a strong practical component and cover issues such as the following:

Why do tradeoffs need to be made in using scarce resources to address unlimited needs? How do local authorities function? What is the relationship between strategic planning and budgeting? What is the difference between a capital and an operating budget? Is theproportion ofcapital to current spending appropriate? Within current spending,is the proportion ofsalaries to maintenance spending appropriate?

Where communication between the local authority and citizens is an issue,it is also important to include the development ofa communication strategy in any capacity-building program.It may also be useful to form learning networks so that groups can learn from the experiences ofothers. These networks could include local authorities within a country or local authorities from different countries.