ICMA, in collaboration with USAID, implemented the Local Government Consensus Building in Zambia program. The program worked with three cities, Lusaka, Ndola, and Livingstone, to develop a five-year strategic plan. Using a participatory process, ICMA convened weeklong workshops, each tailored to address the needs of the specific city, and multiple stakeholders were engaged in the strategic planning process. Workshop participants included representatives of the city council and staff, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, resident development committees, and other relevant community stakeholders.
The final strategic plan produced by each of the three cities included a vision for the city, mission statement, definition of roles and responsibilities, identification of key trends, service priorities, obstacles to success, critical success factors, strategic goals, and action plans. Following the workshop, ICMA provided technical support to the director of finance in each city to develop a capital improvement plan that was reflective of the strategic priorities identified at the workshop.
Lusaka
The Lusaka Strategic Planning Workshop was held in September 1999. Through the workshop, the Lusaka City Council identified three areas for future action that would define its five-year vision. The city would:
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Ensure a safe and friendly environment
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Effectively provide quality essential services to all citizens
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Build the foundation for long-term prosperity.
The participants developed action plans that identified key implementation steps for the following priority areas:
- Forming a debt collection team
- Establishing a new database to estimate the cost of equipment and software,
- Procuring and installing computers
- Establishing a partnership between the Lusaka City Council and the business community
- Identifying investment sites within the city to stimulate economic development
- Providing infrastructure services to industrial and commercial parks
- Identifying an organizational consultant
- Undertaking a complete rehabilitation of the Civic Center buildings and grounds
- Undertaking a campaign to develop parks and gardens throughout the city
- Preparing a framework for the privatization of essential services
- Tendering contracts for such services.
Ndola
The second strategic planning workshop was held in the city of Ndola. Paul C. Katema, mayor of Ndola, stated, “It is to this end that we have prepared this strategic plan, our blueprint for action. Promulgating this strategic plan is the first step in the journey of a thousand miles, yet it is the most important and critical step.”
The elected officials and community participants defined a vision for the city and value and mission statements. A common theme was the need to create pride in the community through participation between the community and the elected officials, as well as the provision of efficient and effective services and infrastructure. The participants selected five strategic directions that included:
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Enhancing revenues
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Improved organizational performance
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Infrastructure upgrade and enhancement
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Improved service delivery
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Legislation.
Livingstone
The strategic planning workshop in Livingstone was attended by 51 participants. Both elected officials and members of the community considered the workshop a success. One participant stated that the workshop "opened a whole new insight into the power of collaborative strategic focus and planning when it comes to addressing the council’s problems or shortcomings.”
Workshop agenda topics included:
- Local government organization and structure;
- Roles of councilors and staff
- Citizen/stakeholder participation
- Review of community assets and service delivery needs
- Creating a shared vision
- Identification of key obstacles/opportunities
- Identification of key strategic directions and milestones
- Development of a six month action plan.
During the workshop, the participants discussed and developed action plans that identified the intent, the intended results, and the key implementation steps required to undertake the priority activities. The participants selected the following priority areas:
- Economic growth
- Garbage management
- Road rehabilitation
- Capacity building
- Municipal management.
In the week following the strategic workshop, a senior municipal finance specialist worked with the local councilors to develop a capital improvement plan (CIP). The CIP built on and incorporated the priority areas discussed during the strategic workshop. The CIP was designed to itemize the local government’s planned expenditures for long-term public projects and explain how the community will finance projects such as roads and bridges, public buildings, utility systems, and recreational and cultural facilities.