Does Federal System Perform Better in Managing Diversity and Reducing Conflicts in Africa? The Case of South Sudan

The relation between conflict and governance has been dominated by type of government rather than by system of government.With increasing conflict in countries with ethnic and religious diversity, the debate has gradually shifted to understand better the link between conflict and system of government.There is a growing evidence that suggests federal system performs better than unitary system in managing diversity and reducing conflict.Decentralization is even seen to be more effective than federal system not only in managing diversity and reducing conflict but also in delivering public goods.This article provides an account of evolution of system of government in South Sudan.It finds a clear association of centralized unitary system with violent conflict and a relative peace during period of decentralized government or federal system.A decentralized federal system may be appropriate for South Sudan in managing diversity and mitigating conflict.Despite the popular demand by their citizens for a federal system to manage diversity and reduce violent conflict, the ruling elites in the post-independent South Sudan adopted instead an autocratic centralized unitary system that contributed among other factors to the persistent violent conflicts, erosion of social cohesion, and rising mistrust between state and citizens and between and among the communities of South Sudan.