African Politics and Governance

Abstract

This chapter argued that Africa had its own form of government before colonialism. Traditional authorities formed the type of government and promoted rural development. Traditional leaders promoted the welfare of the rural people until the arrival of colonialism. Long after the end of colonialism and the introduction of democratic dispensation, rural people are turning to traditional leaders because elected leaders are failing to understand the dynamics of rural people. Many studies argue for the dual governance of traditional leadership and elected leadership governance to benefit of the rural people. Empirical evidence in Vhembe District revealed that traditional leaders were still relevant in the democratic dispensation.