Capital Cities in Africa: Power and Powerlessness

Focuses on capital cities in nine sub-Saharan African countries, and traces how the power vested in them has evolved through different colonial backgrounds, radically different kinds of regimes after independence, waves of popular protest, explosive population growth and in most cases stunted economic development. Starting at the point of national political emancipation, each case study explores the complicated processes of nation-state building through its manifestation in the 'urban geology' of the city its architecture, iconography, layout and political use of urban space. Although the evolution of each of these cities is different, they share a critical demographic feature: an extraordinarily rapid process of urbanization that is more politically than economically driven. Overwhelmed by the inevitable challenges resulting from this urban sprawl, the governments seated in most of these capital cities are in effect both powerful wielding power over their populace and powerless, lacking power to implement their plans and to provide for their inhabitants.
CONTENTS:

• Introduction―the Editors.
• Conakry―O. Goerg.
• Dakar―A. Diop.
• Lomé―P. Gervais-Lambony.
• Lagos--L. Fourchard.
• Abuja―W. Adebanwi.
• Brazzaville―G. Tati.
• Nairobi―S. Owuor and T. Mbatia.
• Maputo and Luanda―P. Jenkins.
• South African Capital Cities―A. Mabin.
• Conclusion―G. Therborn and S. Bekker.