Decentralization, Democracy, and Development

This book is a retrospective of the decentralization reform process in Sierra Leone from 2003–07. During this period, the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) reestablished elected district and urban councils across the country, transferred certain responsibilities for primary services and local investment and some financial resources to the new councils, and invested heavily in building the administrative infrastructure and capacity of the local councils. The authors are partners who were intimately involved in the reform. Through recording various aspects of the process and reflecting on our observations and learning during that time, we hope to contribute to the debates on the merits and risks of decentralization in general and its desirability and viability in post-conflict countries.