Acknowledgements   

This manual is a result of collective efforts through continuous commentaries and reviews from Andre Herzog, Hernando Garzon, Victor Vergara and Mary McNeil from the World Bank. Invaluable comments and reviews also came from Jaime Vasconez of Center for International Urban Management (CIGU) in Ecuador, the Mayor of Matan in Senegal, and the Chairperson and Chirf Executive Officer of Mutoko District Council.

The efforts of those who have contributed information to this manual deserve special acknowledgement. These include: Patrick Mutabwire (Uganda), Rudo Makunike (South Africa), Ardo Nyakudanga, Brighton Muvirimi, Peter Sigauke, Rwodzi Mischeck  and Mischek Mubvumbi (Zimbabwe).

The preparation of the manual also benefited immensely from the modules on participatory budgeting in Africa that were prepared by Ziria Ndifuna (Uganda), John Lubuva (Tanzania), Israel Ndhlovu, Thandiwe Mlobane, Peter Sigauke, Moffat Ndlovu and the late Justus Mika (Zimbabwe).  Invaluable case studies material also came from MDP-ESA regional scan on participatory budgeting that was done by Phillip Kundishora Takawira Mumvuma, John Lubuva Kinuthia Wamwangi and Justus Mika. The authors have also benefited immensely from various documents produced by UN-HABITAT.

The responsibility of putting the information together was shouldered by Takawira Mumvuma and George Matovu of MDP-ESA and financial support came from the World Bank.

We pay tribute to our colleague Justus Mika who passed at the beginning of this work. He provided tremendous support in developing concepts and themes which set a strong foundation for this work.