Despite rapid urbanisation, Africa remains predominantly rural. This
calls for decentralisation beyond the dominant concern by states and
government with urban spaces. Rural areas, rural development and the
future of rural settlements need to be understood and addressed in the
context of the ongoing democratisation trends and the emergence and
development of civil society. States have tended to tame rather than
serve civil society in Africa. By establishing a single cultural
reference and imposing a centralised state, African governments have
exacerbated the fragmentation of civil society. However, political
pluralism has slowly been gaining ground since the 1990s. This book
explores the scope for implementing decentralisation programmes that
focus on citizens in rural areas. For the purpose of decentralisation,
civic participation in local politics and user participation in
development programmes must be seen as two sides of the coin. The book
focuses on spatial planning - a process concerned with spatial
organisation in an integrative manner, and incorporates the design,
establishment and implementation of a desired spatial structural
organisation of land. This is especially relevant in a context where the
formulation of guidelines for spatial development at the overall level
of a state is inadequate.
