majimboism means the political devolution of power to the regions of a country. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 82 out of 100.
Why “majimboism” is a great word
A political principle advocating for the devolution of power to regional units within a nation. From Swahili majimbo ("regions" or "states") + the English suffix -ism (denoting a system or principle). Unlike federalism, a general constitutional framework of shared sovereignty, or unitarism, the concentration of all central authority, majimboism is a specifically East African vision of autonomy, often freighted with the weight of communal identity. It is the cartographer’s pen redrawing internal borders, the heated debate in a dusty town hall, and the wary calculation of resources held close to home—a dream of governance measured not by the reach of the capital, but by the soil of the province.
Etymology
From Swahili majimbo (“regions”) + -ism.
noun
- The political devolution of power to the regions of a country.“Mr. Odinga campaigned on a policy of federal decentralization known as majimboism.”