Federalism, Devolution and Cleavages in Africa: Do Institutions Matter?

Whether it is possible to ensure stability, peace and social cohesion in countries with deep societal divisions where identity based mobilization is high and if so through what type of institutional options is one of the central political questions of our time. This chapter discusses the different institutional approaches adopted in four federal and devolved systems in Africa to manage politically mobilized cleavagesCleavages and examines whether institutional design matters in addressing demands from such groups. The main issue is whether such cleavages should be treated as building blocks for political engagement and institutions built around them, or rather be diffused and deliberately divided into several subunits to prevent emergence of sub state nationalism. Also critical is, what type of institutional design fits deeply mobilized cleavages?