Local Governance in Afghanistan: A View from the Ground

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Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit 2011 that operate in the non-state realm. In Afghanistan, these are further supplemented by international actors and an armed opposition. The notion of governance thus embraces a web of interacting relationships that includes both formal and informal elements. “Government,” on the other hand, is the action of ruling and the continuous exercise of state authority. 15 There is an emerging literature on local governance in Afghanistan that ranges from general descriptions and comment—which tend to be policy or programme-oriented—to analyses that come with a more focused contribution based on location or sector. A review of the literature is provided in Annex 4. The niche filled by this study is broad, ranging in nature in its examination of structures, the integration of individuals and interest groups in local governance, and issues of service delivery. In particular, AREU’s capacity to undertake extensive field research has provided an opportunity to compare and aggregate information on governance across a number of provinces. 2.3 Local government context Until the formation of an independent Afghanistan in 1747, the country had been largely governed by Turko-Mongolian rulers. The seizure of power by Pashtun tribal elements at a moment of weakness saw the establishment of an Afghan state based on hierarchical norms that abandoned the common federal institutions in favour of an exclusive elite authority. Foreign invasions in the 19th century led to a period of political turbulence. While Afghanistan’s rulers relied increasingly on armed militias as a way to protect their sovereignty, the amirs’ reluctance to share power or favour among these groups led to a period of continuous revolt. This finally ended during the rule of Abdur Rahman (1880-1901) who ruthlessly ensured that there was no rival to his position or power. The pattern of governance he established has continued through the 20 th century with Pashtun leaders exercising almost exclusive authority. The dynastic tradition fell apart as a result of the Soviet invasion, leaving nothing to replace it. With the Soviet departure, Afghanistan was left without an external patron for the first time in 150 years. The ensuing chaos precipitated a civil war and the eventual seizure of power by the Taliban. The decade after 2001 has seen the re-emergence of a centralised regime barely different in essence from its predecessors. The 2004 constitution delegates almost no power to institutions outside of the central government. 16 The international community has thus effectively attempted to restore an autocratic system that may no longer politically sustainable. Applying the 2004 constitution to local government is taking time. Although provincial councils were elected in 2005, local government was given little attention in the years following the establishment of the first Karzai administration. In 2007, powers related to local government were transferred from the Ministry of Interior to the newly-created IDLG, which reports directly to the president’s office. IDLG’s head was given ministerial status with a seat in the Cabinet, and the body has since come to provide an important focus for improving the function of local government—helped on by significant external funding. The Policy Paper on Subnational Governance received presidential approval in March 2010 and was accompanied by legislation on the formation of provincial, district, village and municipal councils (yet to be enacted at the time of writing). A further important actor in local governance is the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) which has been administering the NSP, implemented through a network of village-level CDCs. This programme represents approximately two thirds of the ministry’s budget. 17 The other MRRD initiative relevant to this study is the NABDP, a key element of which was the formation of District Development Assemblies, now present in most districts of the country. 15 Thomas Barfield and Neamatollah Nojumi, “Bringing More Effective Governance to Afghanistan: 10 Pathways to Stability,” Middle East Policy Vol. XVII, No. 4 (2010): 40-52. 16 Thomas Barfield, Afghanistan: A Cultural and Political History (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2010), 4-8. 17 Based on personal communication with MRRD officials. Local Governance in Afghanistan: A View from the Ground 13
Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit 2011 Map 1: Research provinces in Afghanistan Dawlat Abad Jawzjan Samangan Sar-i-Pul Laghman Wardak Day Kundi Nad Ali Musa Qala Supplementary research districts Primary research provinces Local Governance in Afghanistan: A View from the Ground 14
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