Livingstone Mayor Constance Nalishebo Muleabai has urged institutions across Zambia to strengthen strategic management and improve service delivery to accelerate national development.
She made the remarks during the official opening of the 2026 Zambia Institute for Strategic Management (ZISM) Strategy Conference, where she also launched the Organisational Strategy Diagnostic Assessment Tool (OSDAT).
“The theme of this conference, ‘Building resilience for inclusive growth and improved livelihoods,’ aligns with national development priorities and highlights the need for institutions to effectively plan, implement and adapt strategies in a dynamic environment,” Ms Muleabai said.
She noted that the Eighth National Development Plan prioritises socio-economic transformation through stronger institutions, improved service delivery and enhanced resilience across both public and private sectors.
Government reforms in decentralisation, public service delivery and economic management, she added, require ministries, local authorities and cooperating partners to improve coordination and ensure policies translate into tangible benefits for citizens.
“Strategic management is a critical enabler as it ensures clarity of mandate, alignment of resources and accountability for results,” she said.
The mayor commended ZISM for introducing OSDAT, describing it as a timely, evidence-based tool to assess institutional performance, identify strategic gaps and strengthen implementation.
She said the tool is applicable across government ministries, public agencies, local authorities and private sector organisations, supporting performance management, monitoring and evaluation systems.
“The adoption of such tools will improve planning and budgeting processes and strengthen accountability in resource utilisation,” she said.
She reaffirmed Livingstone City Council’s commitment to effective service delivery and local development, stressing the importance of partnerships among government, the private sector, civil society and professional bodies.
Ms Muleabai urged delegates to focus on practical strategies that deliver measurable results before officially declaring the conference open and launching OSDAT.
Meanwhile, ZISM president Tilson Musowaya said Zambia’s biggest challenge is not the lack of sound strategies but the failure to execute them.
“Zambia does not have a strategy formulation problem. Zambia has an execution problem,” he said, citing poor service delivery, misaligned budgeting and weak accountability systems as evidence.
“These are not isolated failures of individual organisations. They are symptoms of a systemic gap — a missing architecture of execution discipline across our institutions.”
Mr Musowaya said OSDAT, developed locally to suit Zambia’s institutional environment, will help organisations close the gap between planning and delivery.
“OSDAT is built by Zambians, for Zambian realities, to strengthen execution and improve performance,” he said, urging leaders to prioritise results over plans.
ZISM Vice President Crallybell Musonda called for bold and forward-looking decision-making to secure a prosperous and sustainable future for the country. She said the two-day conference, held under the theme “Shaping Zambia’s Future: Strategic Choices for Shared Prosperity,” provides a platform for dialogue on the nation’s development trajectory.
“We need to make the right decisions today so that Zambia’s future is prosperous, sustainable and beneficial for every citizen,” she said, stressing that economic progress must be inclusive and long-lasting.
The fifth edition of the conference has attracted delegates from government, the private sector and civil society, focusing on strategic leadership, digital transformation, inclusive growth and sustainability.
Discussions will explore innovative financing models, including public-private partnerships (PPPs), and examine how technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data can support national development.
Ms Musonda also highlighted the importance of climate resilience and Zambia’s green transition for long-term economic stability.
Day one focuses on strategic leadership, PPPs and the role of pension schemes, while day two addresses digital transformation, cybersecurity and inclusive growth targeting SMEs, youth and gender equity.
“No society can develop successfully without providing equal opportunities and empowering the youth,” she said, urging delegates to actively contribute ideas that can translate into actionable outcomes.
“I trust this conference will spark critical conversations and actionable insights to drive our nation’s progress,” she said.
Comments