Constraining Factors in Realizing Strategic Plan Objectives by Local Authorities in Zambia: Case of Kitwe City Council

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to determine the constraining factors in realizing strategic plan objective by Kitwe City Council in Zambia. This was a case study that focused on the strategic plan of the Council for the period 2012 to 2016. The research used qualitative methodology that also employed grounded theory methods during the data collection, i.e., interviews and documentary reviews. Content analysis was the main analytical tool utilized for the analysis. The results of the study indicated that, the City Council had an ambitious plan which was unrealistic in the sense that within the plan period, too many priority projects were incorporated in the plan. Furthermore, the implementation of the plan lacked committed leadership drive and visioning at the departmental level of the institution, lacked ownership of the strategic plan document, inadequate financial resources generated by the Council to finance the projects, non-coordination and harmonization of strategies in implementation of strategic activities by the departments within the \council, political interference and non-collaboration of potential cooperating partners affected the implementation of the plan, hence achieving virtually insignificant proportion of the expected outcomes of the strategic objectives. The findings of the study provide significant and valuable information to all management of Local Authorities in Zambia and perhaps in the developing economies that perceive that formulation of strategic plan is significant to improve the service delivery to their citizenry under their areas of jurisdiction.