Participatory Practice in Zambia: Pitfalls and Hopes for Tomorrow

Abstract

This paper is informed by findings of a study which sought to explore citizen participation in Zambia. The paper used a phenomenological design. Qualitative data was collected and analysed using emerging themes. The results revealed that many Zambian citizens do not participate in developmental and economic activities, projects and programmes due to lack of development prevailing in most parts of the country, and in particular the high levels of economic stress that are felt at individual and household levels. The inability to implement the sound choices and policy decisions craft by central government though a number of policies, ratifications and deliberate initiatives that the country has assented to, aimed at encouraging participatory practice. This has also caused citizens to lose trust in legislatures. At local level, the majority of citizens have inadequate access to basic social and economic services to live dignified lives. Government’s inability to provide such services has made citizens not to see the need to participate in any developmental programmes. With all such situations, Zambian citizens are discouraged to participate in the governance of the country and therefore, participatory practices fail.