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Governance Without Participation: A Comparative Perspective of the Policies of Nigerian and Kenyan Political Parties

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A Slee** Giant?

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Abstract

The model of political governance in Africa has become a contentious subject among theorists and practitioners. Reviews of the decision-making structures across the continent have shown that they remain skewed in favour of a top-down, elitist model. Beyond mobilising citizens to vote, less commitment is invested in broader political participation. Evidence has shown that efforts that seek broader political consensus and increased participation among party members are discouraged and ignored. However, there is a paucity of research on the key motivations that incessantly block the expansion of this political space that is so widely advocated by scholars of public policy and political thinkers. Discursive participation is used as the dominant theoretical model to frame this chapter. It was tested through application in an array of political contexts in two major jurisdictions. Two regional powers, Kenya in East Africa and Nigeria in West Africa, were selected, drawing lessons from each. Similar trends in these countries show that despite policy and legal provisions advocating for expanded participation of critical communities (women, the youth, the poor and civil society), these intentions are far from being realised.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya

    Wilson Muna & Lawan Abba Babamaragana

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  1. Wilson Muna
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  2. Lawan Abba Babamaragana
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  1. Institute for the Future of Knowledge, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Oluwaseun Tella

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Muna, W., Babamaragana, L.A. (2021). Governance Without Participation: A Comparative Perspective of the Policies of Nigerian and Kenyan Political Parties. In: Tella, O. (eds) A Slee** Giant? . Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73375-9_9

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