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African Journal of Economic Policy

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Vol. 8 No. 2, December 2001 & Vol. 9 No. 1, June 2002
Abstracts

Vol. 8. No. 2, December 2001

The Revenue Impact and Elements of Tax Reforms in Kenya

M. K. Muriithi and E. D. Moyi

The broad objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of tax reforms, undertaken under conditions of unstable macroeconomic environment, on the overall tax system and tax handles in Kenya, with a view to identifying the flexibility and responsiveness of the tax system. Using periodic measures of the income elasticity of tax, broken down into tax-to-base and base-to-income elasticities, the study finds that tax reforms in Kenya had a positive but not uniform impact on the overall tax structure and on the individual tax handles.

 

Macroeconomic Effects of Internal Debt Servicing in Cameroon

G. N. Mbanga and F. Sikod

Cameroon was one of the developing countries which accumulated internal debt in addition to its external debt stock in the 80s with profound implications for the transfer of resources between the private and public sectors of the economy. The modeling framework of the study focuses on how domestic debt service payment affects private investment, and empirically finds that while the internal debt stock has been inimical to private investment through debt overhang, internal debt servicing had a positive effect on private investment through a crowding-in effect.

 

Regional Integration, Monetary Arrangements and Exports Performance: A Panel Data Approach to the Case of Cameroon.

I. Moumba

The study assesses the impact of monetary arrangements within the CFA zone and of regional integration on export performance in Cameroon. Using a gravity model of export supply and demand in reduced form, the study finds that the CFA monetary arrangement and regional integration positively affected Cameroon’s export performance. The dummies that capture both arrangements were positive and significant.

External Effects of Fiscal Deficits in Kenya

J. Njeru and J. Randa.

This study specifically seeks to formulate and analyse the linkages between fiscal deficits and the external sector focusing on the current account and the real exchange rate. Its methodology is based on evaluating the time series properties of the model’s variables. The study finds that the higher the total government spending as a proportion of GDP, the more depreciated the domestic currency under flexible exchange rate regime. In addition, fiscal deficit leads to current account deficit, implying that private sector absorption is influenced by fiscal policy stance.

 

 

Vol. 9 No. 1. June 2002

Analysis of Poverty in Rural Areas in Sub-Saharan Africa: Case of Cote D’Ivoire

A. K. Bekouin

The study seeks to analyse the relationship between the dynamics of Ivoirean rural setting and poverty, emphasizing the determinants of poverty among various socio-economic groups. The econometric results confirm the vulnerability to poverty of the whole rural population, and identify important factors, such as education, production and few remuneration-based activities as sources of poverty in rural Cote D’Ivoire.

 

On the Determinants of Child Nutrition among Urban Poor Households in Uganda: Evidence of Gender Differentials

S. Ssewanyana

The study’s main objective is to investigate whether there are gender differentials in the key determinants of child nutrition among urban poor households. Employing a household production framework that uses a cross-sectional data of 630 households in Kampala city, the study finds that maternal education has stronger impact on girls’ long-term nutrition while boys’ long-term nutrition is influenced by paternal education. Also, increases in income tend to have a bigger effect on girls’ short-term and medium-term nutrition compared to that of boys.

 

The Relative Efficiency of Private and Public Schools: The Case of Secondary Education of Cameroon.

I. Moumba

Following the adoption of a new strategy to increase the quantum of resources going to the education sector in Cameroon, the study assesses the internal efficiency of its secondary schools with a view to identifying measures that will enhance the productivity of the additional resources. The results of the study show that success rates in two official examinations slightly improved between 1998 and 2001, through this improvement did not make the success rate more near international standards.

 

External Debt and Private Investment in Cameroon

G. N. Mbanga

The study tests the hypothesis that external debt service payments have adverse effects on private investment in Cameroon. The results of the regression model confirm both the debt overhang and the crowding-out hypothesis of external debt on private investment.