Subjects:

Constitutional and Administrative Law

Contents:

Preface

Table of cases

table of constitutions

table of statutes

table of other instruments

Introduction

1 The democratic state in Africa: setting the scene

2 Constitutions and the search for a viable political order

3 Devising popular and durable national constitutions: the new constitutions of the 1990s

4 Perfecting imperfections: amending a constitution

5 Presidentialism and restraints upon executive power

6 Enhancing access to the political system

7 Making legislatures effective

8 The judiciary and the protection of constitutional rights

9 The devolution of power to local communities

10 Developing autochthonous oversight bodies: human rights commissions and offices of the ombudsman

11. Seeking constitutional control of the military

12. Constitutionalism and emergency powers

13. Constitutional governance: the lessons from Southern and Eastern experience.

The central role that good, effective and capable governance plays in the economic and social development of a country is now widely recognised. Using the Commonwealth countries of eastern and southern Africa, this book analyses some of the key constitutional issues in the process of developing, strengthening and consolidating the capacity of states to ensure the good governance of their peoples.

Utilising comparative material, the book seeks to draw lessons, both positive and negative, about the problems of constitutionalism in the region and, in doing so, critically addresses the legal issues involved in seeking to make constitutions 'work' in practice.