Eleventh Global Studies Conference

Abstract

Whereas regime change for aid receiving states is frequent, radicle changes in structures of the governance are rare and scarce. As a result, donors seem to be prepared for changes that may occur under regime change precipitated by coup d’état or constitutionally backed change of regimes through democratic elections. Due to scarcity of a constitutional change that may alter structures of governance, the implications of such occurrences have not been emphasised in scholarly research. This paper will focus on a comparative investigation of the nature of Japanese ODA policy in two phases of Kenyan governance structures. One phase will cover the period between 1963 and 2010 when strong Nairobi-based, centralised, state-determined, and mapped locations of development projects in alignment with the will of a strong statesman. The period between 2010 and 2015 opens up a new possibility to scrutinise the nature of aid during the period that a constitutional change has empowered regional governments that have a mandate to initiate development projects independent of influences from the central government. It is argued here that the ODA policy cannot anymore afford to remain static if its goal is to be effective in improving the living standards of the most vulnerable and disenfranchised local communities. It would be therefore logical to solicit means and methods of adjusting the ODA policy to serve the new structures in the receiving state.