CIVIL SOCIETY AND DEMOCRATISATION: THE ROLE OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS IN PROMOTING DEMOCRACY AT DISTRICT LEVEL – THE CASE OF SALIMA DISTRICT

Abstract

The democratic transition that Malawi experienced in early 1990s was part of the so called third wave of democratization that started in 1974 (Huntington 1991). In Malawi, civil society organisations were part of the movement that championed and managed the transitional process from one party to a multi party state. Since then, they have continued to evolve, responding to both the local political environment as well as the influence of the donor agencies and international organizations. This study explores the role of civil society organizations in contributing to the deepening of democratic values at district level using a case study of Salima District. The rationale for doing a case study was persuaded by the fact that most analyses about the contribution of civil society organisations to the democratisation process in Malawi have focused at the national level, yet most CSOs have a narrow operational base. Using the participatory democracy model, the study analyses the extent to which CSOs are able to mobilize communities into actions that promote their participation in public affairs and holding their elected leaders accountable. The study finds that CSOs have done little to promote accountability of elected leaders but are trying to come up with strategies for doing so.