The effectiveness of E-government systems towards enhancing service delivery in Zimbabwe’s local government sector: The case of Harare City Council (2010-2017).

Abstract

The adoption of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) in public governance is an important stride in ameliorating bureaucratic pathologies marring the effectiveness of local government institutions. In this regard, modern local governments around the world have embraced-government systems in order to accelerate the delivery of public services and heighten citizens’ access to government information online. Like other modern governments, local governments in Zimbabwe have adopted a number of e-government applications in their various departments as an endeavour to enhance the delivery of services to the citizens. However, prior to this research, the effectiveness of these e-government systems towards enhancing service delivery in Zimbabwe’s local government sector had not been subjected to formal and systematic assessment. From this background, the research was anchored at reflecting and analysing the main e-government systems that have been adopted and currently being implemented by the Harare City Council (HCC) towards improving service delivery. In this qualitative inquiry, purposive and convenience sampling methods were used in selecting participants. Data was collected using open ended questionnaires, in-depth interviews and documentary review. Thematic and content analysis were used to analyse the gathered data. Research findings demonstrated that the effective use of e-government systems in the HCC does not necessarily translate to enhanced service delivery due to other intervening variables such as political interference, poor governance rapid urbanisation and poor performance of the economy. The major conclusion drawn from the study findings is that local authorities in Zimbabwe are not yet adequately prepared to make effective use of e-government systems to enhance service delivery due to challenges because of inter-alia political interference, poor governance and restrictive organisational cultures. Prospectively, the study found that there is unlimited potential to use e-government systems to enhance service delivery in the local government sector. This is possible if efforts are made to address barricades such as computer illiteracy amongst local government personnel, digital divide, limited internet connectivity and absence of awareness on the part of the residents and users.