Unpacking Legal Barriers: Local Government Autonomy in Cameroon

Cameroon introduced decentralisation mechanisms in the 1990s, and in 2019, the Code of Regional and Local Authorities was promulgated to transfer greater powers and autonomy to local governments. This qualitative case study investigates the legal frameworks, institutional mechanisms, and fiscal responsibilities defined in the 2019 law to assess the extent of subnational government autonomy. Through the lens of decentralisation framework, this paper contends that some provisions within the 2019 law contain substantial restrictions, undermining the ability of regional and territorial authorities to practice meaningful self-governance. The results suggest that the law promotes the rhetoric of decentralisation, but retains central government control over significant areas of local policy-making, resource distribution, and managerial oversight. This paper settles that the current legal construction of subnational governance in Cameroon is inadequate to achieve the type of decentralised, inclusive system projected, pointing to the need for significant legal reforms to strengthen regional and local authorities.