Are Efforts by Urban Local Authorities in Embracing Smart Technologies for Urban Development and Governance in Africa Yielding Results? Case Studies of Cape Town, Cairo, Lagos and Harare

Authors

  • INNOCENT CHIRISA Office of the Vice Chancellor, Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, Bindura, Zimbabwe; Department of Urban & Regional Planning, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002- 9485-7616. Author
  • FUNNY MACHIPISA Housing and Community Services, City of Harare, Harare, Zimbabwe Author
  • RUMBIDZAI MPAHLO Department of Development Programming and Management, Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, Bindura, Zimbabwe. Author
  • MIRACLE MABVUNDWI 4 SCOPE-Zimbabwe, Mt Hampden, Zimbabwe. Author
  • TINASHE MAGANDE Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1959- 3565 Author
  • ENOCK MUSARA Department of Development Programming and Management, Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, Bindura, Zimbabwe. Author
  • ANDREW CHIGUDU Department of Architecture and Real Estate, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe. Author

Keywords:

Cities, service delivery, e-administration, Infrastructure

Abstract

 

There is evidence and consensus that African urban local authorities have to capitalise on the dawn of smart technologies to match cities and towns of the developed world. The adoption of technological advances in finance and administration has improved local authorities’ revenue collection. This article assesses the success of efforts by urban local authorities in embracing smart technologies in urban development and governance in selected African cities. African cities are faced with service delivery and urban development challenges owing largely to the lack of smart technologies in urban infrastructure planning and maintenance. The article examines the struggles of cities, municipalities and towns in embracing smart technologies in dealing with urban development and administration in Africa.

Author Biographies

  • INNOCENT CHIRISA, Office of the Vice Chancellor, Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, Bindura, Zimbabwe; Department of Urban & Regional Planning, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002- 9485-7616.

    Innocent Chirisa, the Vice Chancellor of the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University (ZEGU) is
    a Full Professor in Urban and Regional Planning. Has a keen interest in urban and peri-urban
    dynamics. Currently focusing on environmental systems dynamics with respect to land-use,
    ecology, water and energy. Holds a DPhil in Social Sciences. Prof Chirisa is also currently a
    Research Fellow with the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of the Free State, South Africa. He has also served as a Visiting Professor at the Chinhoyi
    University of Technology (Zimbabwe). He is an external examiner for the Department of
    Geography, Bindura University of Science Education (Zimbabwe) and the Department of
    Regional and Urban Planning, University of Venda (SA). He has also served in the same
    capacity with the Great Zimbabwe University. Membership of Professional Associations:
    Fellow of the Pan-African Scientific Research Council (FPASRC); Member of the African
    Academy of Sciences (AAS); Member of the American Association of Geographers (AAG);
    Member of the American Political Science Association (APSA); Member of the Global Land
    Programme (GLP); Member of the Research and Development Committee of the Health
    Professions Committee (R&D-HPA (of Zimbabwe)); Member of the International Society for
    Urban Health (ISUH); Member of the International Society of City and Regional Planners
    (ISOCARP); Member of the Organisation for Social Science Research in Eastern & Southern
    Africa (OSSREA); Member of the Zimbabwe Institute for Urban and Regional Planners
    (ZIRUP) innocent.chirisa@gmail.com

  • RUMBIDZAI MPAHLO, Department of Development Programming and Management, Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, Bindura, Zimbabwe.

    Rumbidzai Irene Mpahlo has a background in rural and urban development and civic
    engagement, her research interests resonate around mobility, urban informality, migration,
    gender, climate justice and civil society. She holds a BSc Honours in Rural and Urban
    Planning, a Master’s in Rural and Urban Planning and an advanced Master’s in Development
    Evaluation and Management. Her current research is on governance in settlements in the
    urban fringes rumbimpa@gmail.com

  • ENOCK MUSARA, Department of Development Programming and Management, Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, Bindura, Zimbabwe.

    Enock Musara is a dedicated and professional development practitioner with much strength
    in peace and security, human rights, social justice issues, project management and monitoring
    and evaluation. He has more than a decade teaching at tertiary education level with his
    experience coming from state and private institutions. He also has development practise
    experience having worked in rural areas in the health sector, food security and social
    development sectors. Presently, he is serving as the Chairperson for the Development,
    Programming and Management department at ZEGU under the Faculty of Heritage,
    Humanities and Societal Advancement. enomusara@gmail.com

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Published

2024-10-10

Issue

Volume 2, Issues 1 and 2 (2023)

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Are Efforts by Urban Local Authorities in Embracing Smart Technologies for Urban Development and Governance in Africa Yielding Results? Case Studies of Cape Town, Cairo, Lagos and Harare. (2024). Kuveza NeKuumba: The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University Journal of Design, Innovative Thinking and Practice, 2(1 & 2), Pages: 65 - 90. http://journals.zegu.ac.zw/index.php/knk/article/view/152

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