Project for oral submission to the physical planning registration board.docx

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The philosophy and process for integrated strategic urban development

planning: evidence from Maralal ISUD plan

Ronald matende omwoma

Project for oral submission to the physical planning registration board for

partial fulfillment of the requirement for the award of physical planners

certificate

2014


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Abstract

This study, which is based on my experiences in the preparation of ISUD plan for

Maralal casts light on the philosophy and processes involved in urban strategic

planning. ISUD planning process in Kenya goes through five important stages:

inception, feasibility, scenario building, and generation of first ISUD draft plan and

preparation of final ISUD plan.

1.0: Introduction

Urban planning is changing from inflexible physical design to greater concerns with

social and economic processes (McLaughlin 1969). Integrated strategic urban

development planning should be viewed within this perspective.

Integrated strategic urban development planning practice in Kenya is a rather new

phenomenon introduced in 2006 by the former ministry of local government. The first

phase involved the towns of Garissa, Mtwapa, Bungoma, Eldoret and Nyeri. Maralal

town was included in the second phase and contract for ISUD planning issued to

Associates in Integrated Development Africa limited (AIDAL). I was involved in the

whole planning process as a planning assistant and sector coordinator. This report

derives from my experience in the preparation of integrated strategic urban

development plan for Maralal.

1.1: Background

The past eight years have witnessed the introduction of integrated strategic urban

planning paradigm in Kenya. However the philosophy and logic of action or planning

process behind the production of such plans is least understood. In this study, I present

my understanding of integrated strategic urban development planning philosophy and


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process through experiences gained by my participation as a coordinative planning

assistant in the preparation of Maralal town integrated strategic urban development

plan (2011-2030). I will present the process followed in the preparation of this plan and

highlight the philosophy behind every procedure together with the expected outcome.

The presentation is subdivided into three main sections. The first section deals with the

theoretical meaning of integrated strategic urban development planning paradigm; the

second part presents the procedures used to prepare the plan; while the final part

points out the shortcomings of the process and implementation challenges for

integrated strategic urban development plans in Kenya. The main purpose of the study

is to highlight the theory of integrated strategic urban planning and its difference from

blue print planning theory; procedures or planning protocol adopted in Kenya and

implementation challenges.

Objective of the study

This study attempts to define an integrated strategic urban development plan and

describe the process for its preparation adopted in Kenya. The study helps differentiate

ISUD from other planning procedures in Kenya. The objectives of the study are:

1.

To define philosophy and evolution of ISUD planning and indicate how different

it is from other urban planning concepts

2.

To use the case of Maralal town indicate procedures and processes involved in

the preparation of ISUD plan

1.2: The philosophy of integrated strategic urban development plan

Planning refers to the process of deciding what to do and how to do it. Planning for the

public is more challenging because of the myriad of interests involved coupled with

scarcity of resources and clear imbalance in power. A plan is therefore a document

containing proposals and strategies for development derived from many interest

groups. In this section we are going to break down the meaning of integrated strategic


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urban development plan by decoupling the concepts of strategic and Integrated. We

will also attempt to explain the antecedents of ISUD concept, expectations, assumptions

and logic of action or the rationale of the planning process.

The ISUD planning style is an attempt at appreciating the dynamic nature of social

development and change. Urbanization need to be looked at from a complex adaptive

systems view point. First, the forces (social, political, institutional and economic) that

drive urbanization need to be identified-this may vary from region to region. Second,

how these forces interact with each other is important to understand in order to come

up with some leverage points that might define different urbanization trajectories. ISUD

planning concept is therefore a departure from modeling shapes or urbanscapes

contained in blue print planning.

The theory (what is the meaning of integrated strategic)

-antecedents

-expectations

-assumptions

- Components and Logic of action

Components included the parts in the system

Human needs are complex and sprawl through many sectors of life and hence cannot

be fulfilled by one sector or any intervention based on narrow conceptualizations of

development.

Why integrated about ISUD? Integration is in terms that refer to fusion in various

spatial and sectoral components of the development space and theme

Why strategic? Strategy has something with directional or plannedness of a process.

A strategy identifies strengths and weaknesses of a phenomenon; opportunities and


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weaknesses in the surrounding and finds an appropriate way of maneuvering through

to reach intended goals.

Thus an integrated strategic urban development plan takes care of multi-sectoral

needs in an urban context and directs them in an interactive manner towards achieving

the desired goals of various stakeholders. The concept has its origin in the advocacy

planning campaign of 1960s and its people-centered. ISUD takes care of all the

concerns of development including economic, social, and political an environmental in

an integrated or systematic manner. Its not only based on the primacy of the needs

and aspiration of the people but also on the need for sustainable development. Unlike

other types of physical development plans ISUD is not premised on provision of space

for human development activities and infrastructure but on guiding sustainable change

in urban areas based on existing socio-cultural and environmental dynamics. Detecting

the direction and dynamics of social and environmental development is of critical

importance to the preparation of an appropriate strategic intervention as it is not only

indicative of the existing resources and acceptable norms but also a manifestation of

the social, economic and ecological objectives of the community. ISUD plan does not

introduce or impose new aspects of development but builds on the aspirations and

resources of the community in a contextualized manner.

The ISUD view intervention for development in a non-linear complex fashion which

recognizes complicated interactions between different components and processes of

human development. Others have described ISUD as embracing system thinking

(Coryn, 2011) and a multi-disciplinary perspective embedded in social process

(Bornhorst, 2012).

ISUD planning concept also has political connotations as its a stakeholder-based

process that espy democratic principles by recognizing the needs and aspirations of the

majority of the people rather than the minority in the society.


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ISUD has variously been described as collaborative planning (Harley, 1992; 1997),

stakeholder based planning (Thiel, 2012), planning through debates (Harley, 2006);

broad thinking- planning (Wiechman, 2008)

Given the nature of ISUD process to embrace multiple planning problems confronting

humanity in an urban setup, coordinative mechanisms to integrate inputs from different

disciplines play a central role. In Kenya this role is often the mandate of trained and

registered physical planners.

Differences between integrated strategic urban plans and blue print plans

Blue print plans Integrated strategic urban plans

Fixed thought; adherence to pre-defined

objectives and plans of action.

Flexible working towards vision; allows for

substantial adjustment and modification

during implementation to take care of

changing social dynamic.

Address immediate short term needs Addresses development trends and long

term needs based on the strength,

weaknesses, opportunities and threats in

the environment.

Provision oriented, that is aimed at

providing space for specific needs

Aimed at providing opportunity for

accommodating ideas in a cascading

manner

Technocratic origin Participatory

Static, rigid and narrow with a beginning

and end with focus on current and short

term needs

Change-oriented, Dynamic, flexible,

broader social perspective continuous and

responsive to changes in human needs

Prescriptive, bureaucratic, regulatory and

dogmatic

Proactive, Prospective and iterative;

participatory and collaborative.

Supply-oriented , piecemeal and

incremental approach

Social Problem-solution oriented

comprehensive and multi-disciplinary and


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systematic planning approach

Sector specific Integrated

Normative Strategic

Goal-oriented Cost-benefit-orientedUrban offer-oriented Urban demand oriented

Subject to administrative boundary

limitations

Supersedes administrative boundary

limitations

Focused on the provision of urban

hardware ( housing, infrastructure and

channels of transport and communication)

Focused on urban software including

different urban socio-economic interests as

demanded by the people

Open participation by appearance Focused participation representative ofdifferent interest groups.

Best practices cast into Fixed Planning

standards for provision of different

facilities

Best practices but on case-by-case

diagnostics, so that the priorities and

modalities attain a good fit with the

particular needs and possibilities of specific

societies.

The origin of integrated strategic urban planning

Advocacy planning

Advocacy planning which was proposed by lawyer planner Paul Davidoff vouched for a

new approach to planning. At the time physical planning was dominated by the blue

print systems advocated for by architect planners including Abercrombie, Patrick

Geddes, and Raymond Urwin. Their kind of planning was based on the principle of

survey before plan. To this group, planning meant rationalistic proposals that were


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meant to be not only skillful engineering masterpieces, satisfactory hygiene and

successful economics but also social organism and work of art. The main concerns of

blue prints include convenience, accessibility, aesthetics and provision of space.

However proponents of advocacy planning criticized this approach as being a soulless,

mechanistic approach full of impressive diagrammatic presentations but lacking in

representation of diverse interests. Paul Davidoff described the city planning process

and institutions of the time as non-responsible and vestigial processes which produced

unitary plans focusing only on the physical development. He deplored the idea that

urban planners should serve as mere technicians in such a limited and dull process.

Davidoff called for planners to represent different constituencies and different points of

view in a political planning process, much as lawyers advocate for the interests of their

clients.

Davidoff advocate for plans which focus on diverse issues of both physical and social

nature and which represent views from diverse interest groups in the society. He

believed that each interest group should be encouraged and facilitated to come up with

a plan representing their interests and have them integrated in the planning process.

The approach vouches for plans that facilitate social integration between different

classes and equity in access to resources, rather than creating exclusive and

segregative development. Planning is treated as a political process that should include

all and represent all interests of the public. The two main cornerstones of advocacy

planning include advocacy: which indicate vigorous promotion of competing claims that

lead to the best and most representative solution; pluralism: which indicates

representation of multiple points of view from all sides of the social divide, the rich and

the poor, the majority and minority.

In advocacy planning model, goals, values and ideals take precedence over technical

issues. The model produces socially conscious planners who treat distributive justice as

of paramount importance in the planning process.

However, the continued dominance of physical planning in modern day practice

indicates the reluctance of planning authorities to embrace advocacy planning.


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System approach

System approach to planning was first advocated by McLaughlin in 1969 through

publication of Urban and regional planning: a system approach. System approach

treats an urban space as a complex system comprising three main subsystems which

interrelate and interact with each other in a recursive manner. The three systems

include the anthropic, functional and physical (Fistola & Rocca, 2012). The physical

system comprises the spaces and channels interconnecting the spaces; the functional

system includes the activities carried out in spaces and through the channels; the

anthropic systems includes the communities that give sense to the space. Fistola and

Rocca have added two other systems including geomorphological system which include

environmental elements and territorial areas, and psycho-perceptive systems which

comprise the image of the city that each citizen elaborate by himself.

Other contributors

1. Garden & Social city of Ebenezer Howard

Prior to the INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, villages, towns and even the few cities that

existed were generally well balanced in their activities and functions, social composition,

and relationship to the surrounding environment. With the Industrial Revolution and its

accompanying urbanization, all organic limits to city growth were thrown off and so was

the balance of human activities. The decay and the segregation that followed prompted

Howard to come up with the idea of a garden city. Howard joined together the

advantages of town and country to come up with garden city and the social city at the

regional level. The city would contain all the essential functions of an urban

community, while limiting urban expansion with a green belt. In addition, people

working in the garden city would also live there. In short, the garden city was to be

self-contained and socially balanced. The idea of social balance and self containment

connotes respect, recognition and provision of peoples diverse needs in the planning

process.


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2. Smart City

The problems associated with sprawl have led to a not-so-new strategy in the United

States, called SMART GROWTH. With its call for geographic containment of

development, mixed land uses, social equity and regional fair-share housing, and

environmental conservation, smart growth is in essence a strategy for the creation of

balanced communities. It remains to be seen, however, whether smart growth carries

enough force to shake the entrenched and institutionalized interests of a balkanized

metropolis and counter the ideological trend towards weaker government intervention.

3. Equity planning

Equity planning seeks to move resources, political power and participation towards

lower-income, disadvantaged people in order to provide them with more choices than

those available through existing political-economic and institutional arrangements.

Equity planning is closely related to ADVOCACY PLANNING in that both approaches

seek to serve the disadvantaged.

Progressive planners

Progressive Planning lays emphasis on promoting equality andsocial justice. Generally,

progressive planners draw on citizen groups and socialmovements as sources of ideas,

energy and support, and have a strong commitment towards involving the

disempowered in planning. This differentiates them from the top down social reform

tradition that imposes reforms from above working through institutions, seeking, for

example, to make government more rational and fair. However, progressive planners

still acknowledge their own expertise, remaining progressive planners rather than

COMMUNITY organizers.

ISUD marks the desire to move urban planning from the narrower spatial components

towards a more diversified social use of space. Spatial planning deal with ZONING, land

use planning, or the design of the physical form of cities or regions. Its use generally


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suggested that planning should also address the more complex issues of the spatial

relationship of activities such as employment, homes and leisure uses and so forth.

However, problem-oriented spatial planning has more been recommended than

practiced.

Strategic planning

Strategic planning originated around the early 1960s in the business sector in the

United States. It was developed as a response to a rapidly changing environment and

increased competition, thus providing corporations with new tools for taking care of

their planning functions. It was an alignment of businesses to accommodate change

that was occurring more rapidly. The essence of strategic planning approach is to

anticipate change rather than react to change.

The basic elements of the strategic planning process are the following: scanning the

environment, identifying strategic issues, setting mission statements or broad goals,

undertaking external and internal analyses (e.g. SWOT ANALYSIS), designing strategies

and implementation plans to carry out actions, and lastly monitoring and assessing

performance.

SWOT Analysis

SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis provides a simple

but useful tool for evaluation of the strategic position of an urban area or region. It is a

strategic management tool designed for use in the preliminary stages of decision-

making processes. Like other management tools originally intended for business, it can

be tailored for application in public policies, including URBAN and regional policy.

The use of SWOT analysis as a tool in strategic management reflects the increasing

importance of external (environment) impacts on organizations or territories and the

need to react accordingly and the conviction that the most important factor for success

is the adaptability to new circumstances. SWOT analysis allows an understanding of


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internal factors (strengths and weaknesses) and external factors (opportunities and

threats) that structure any vision of the citys future.

The internal analysis examines the citys or organizations capabilities, through the

identification of its strengths and weaknesses. This component includes questions about

the advantages of a given urban area or region, about those things that the the area

does well and about what other people see as the strengths of the region (e.g. key

skills, productivity, costs, innovation capacity, adequate public funds, etc.). For

weaknesses, the inquiry should try to identify what could be improved, what sort of

things the area does badly, what should be avoided, what other people perceive as

weaknesses and the sort of activities that the citys competitors do better (e.g. the

opposite of strengths, such as obsolete INFRASTRUCTURES, low productivity, high

costs, low innovation capacities, lack of public finance resources, etc.).

The external analysis examines features that create opportunities (anything with the

potential to increase the citys or organizations strengths) and those that create

obstacles or threats to performance (anything with the potential to hurt a regions or

organizationscapacities). Indeed, national and regional influences are important when

deciding what new initiatives need to be added or which existing ones need to be

modified or eventually abandoned. For the identification of opportunities, questions

shall be directed to the identification of good opportunities facing the city (e.g. changes

in markets, diversification of activities, changes in lifestyles, in technology, in

government policies, in demographic patterns, etc.). For the identification of threats,

questions shall be directed to the identification of obstacles that the city faces (e.g.

slow growth, vulnerability to recession, adverse demographic shifts, etc.) and what the

other competing cities are doing, among other similar questions.

The requirements for undertaking a SWOT analysis are simple and easy to implement

and can be carried out through surveys, interviews with stakeholders, focus groups, etc.

The main challenge is probably to make the correct judgment of strengths and

weaknesses as well as of opportunities and threats.


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In sum, the SWOT framework helps to focus urban policy activities into sectors with the

greatest opportunities and where the region is strong, minimizing weaknesses and

counteracting threats.

Urban planning

The last element in the ISUD planning process is urban development planning. Urban

planning refers to the process of envisioning alternative futures for an URBAN area,

setting goals and objectives, and formulating implementing strategies to reach the

alternative future. Urban planning is the process that results in urban plans. The term

urban planning is sometimes used restrictively to refer only to land use planning which

is a physical planning process, focusing on what uses go where in an urban area.

Urban planning encompasses environmental, transportation and housing planning.

Sometimes it includes economic development planning, social planning,

INFRASTRUCTURE planning, open space planning or other specialized planning.

Tying it all together: key principles in the ISUD planning process

Integrated strategic urban development (ISUD) planning process is composed of three

major concepts: integrated planning strategic planning and urban development

plan. We have already explained these terms above. In this section we summarize the

concepts into one thought to come up with a more cohesive understanding of

integrated strategic urban development planning.

The ISUD gains its legitimacy from the approval by diverse stakeholders whose

interests have been represented, and thus, any approval by any official authority may

be considered as mere rubber stamping exercise.Mark Suchman defines legitimacy as

a generalized perception or assumption that the actions of an entity are desirable,

proper, or appropriate within some socially constructed system of norms, values,

beliefs, and definitions.

The following key principles have been developed to guide the strategic planning

process:

1.Participatory multi-sectoral approach


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Preparation of ISUD plan involves many sectors, stakeholders and interests. The

participatory multi-sector approach helps to capture interests and concerns from all

social sectors in an interrelated manner. Stakeholders with vested interests actively

participate in the identification of planning problem and generation of solutions and

priorities. Stakeholders in many ISUD planning process include local leaders, local

institutions, government agencies, political leaders, local governments, professional

organizations, private practitioners, land owners, businessmen, developers and various

stakeholder groups (NGOs, FBOs, and CBOs, women and youth groups). All parties with

vested interests form the stakeholder forum called the steering committee that

participates actively in the planning process. The planning team plays a midwifery role

to coordinate and help stakeholders to arrive at a balanced and amicable consensus.

Participation in the planning process is aimed at empowering the participants and

developing a sense of ownership for the final plan. It also brings in acceptable local

knowledge and solutions to local problems.

2.Long term development perspective

ISUD plan provides a framework for long term strategy for spatial and economic

development in an urban area. Many ISUD plans run for more than twenty years and

are guided by a mission statement that aims towards a certain vision. Responsibility

for implementation and accountability should be clearly stated while implementing

agencies should be notified to derive their action plans from the ISUD plan.

3.Mobilization of local resources

The plan preparation process strives to harness local knowledge, opportunities

and resources. It builds on the local strength to eliminate threats and make use

of available opportunities in form of markets

4. Flexibility in planning

5. Integrated and systematic proposals

6. Implementability and sustainability

7.Visioning and place making

8. Comprehensive and inclusive


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9.Appreciation of social complexity and diversity, deeper meaning and underlying

causes

10.Appreciation of multiple perspectives and striving to provide the best for

everybody

ISUD aims at place makingby identifying key development sites and ideas that can

give the urban area a unique identity and turn space into place.

Part two

Procedure for Preparation of integrated strategic urban development plan

2.0: introduction

ISUD plan in Kenya goes through five prominent stages. These include the Initial

interpretive study which produces the inception report ;mobilization, awareness, and

situation analysis process which identifies baseline information and planning problems

facing the community and raises awareness for the planning process; feasibility study

which identifies the potentials (strengths and opportunities) and challenges

(weaknesses& threats) for the project area and develop a strategic planning

framework; visioning and objective setting; the development and evaluation of different

development scenarios/options which results in the first ISUD draft plan and; the

development of the final ISUD. These stages may be classified as inception stage;

feasibility study, visioning and scenario building, and production of final plan. All the

activities are conducted in a participatory manner through workshops with all the

relevant stakeholders given a chance to bring up their ideas and opinions.

Mobilize for the planning project: inception report


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In this section we present the entire procedure followed in the production of ISUD plans

for Maralal from procurement to presentation of the final plan to the ministry of local

government and ministry of lands. This will present a good learning point for those

professional planners interested in undertaking ISUD planning contracts. In this chapter

we use evidence from Maralal ISUD plan to indicate the required stages through which

the developments of ISUD plans go through.

2.1: Preparations of inception report

The purpose of an inception report is to underline the interpretation of the

projects objectives, scope and how the consultancy will be carried out. The

report is arrived at after holding meetings with various stakeholders, brief field

Establish strategic planning framework through feasibility

study by identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities

and threats to urban develo ment in each sector

Identify and evaluate options and different development scenarios

for all the relevant sectors in the urban area through participatory

workshops and complete draft ISUD

Develop finals ISUD for the urban

area

Prepare action or investment

lan for the ISUD lan

Implement the strategic plan

Define baseline: situation anal sis & roblem


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observations, discussions and review of relevant documents including reports,

studies, plans, and publications.

Inception report identifies what need to be done after the problem has been

identified. It details what has already been done and the plan of action for the

future.

This is the report made by the consultant to indicate his understanding of the

assignment required of him and the resources required for doing the work. It is

actually the consultants plan of work based on the real ground situation. The

report contains description of the assignment, introduction and background of

the study area; the goals, objective and outcomes of the assignment; the legal

framework; the scope of work and tasks; methodologies, expected activities and

outputs and schedule of work or work breakdown structures.

The inception report is the first deliverable output after the project contract has

been awarded and signed.

The process of preparing an IR includes:

1. Collecting and scanning through all the documents related the project:

this will include plans, reports, maps, studies, evaluations etc.

2.

Identifying the background of the project, explaining what the problem is

and why the organization decided to conduct a study.

3.

State the purpose of the project clearly.

4. Describe what has been done so far and conclusions

5. Explain methods of data collection in detail. List interviews,

questionnaires, field notes, scientific testing, surveys, reviews of

literature, or whatever data collection methods to be used, and use

charts, graphs, and lists to effectively display data that has already been

collected, if any.

6. Include a detailed work plan, with clear steps and goals, including dates,

places and personnel who will complete the steps. This schedule should

map out the entire effort, and is often presented in a chart format for

ease of reading. Long-range plans can be more general, listing activities


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by years, but shorter range plans often schedule items day by day, or

even hour by hour.

2.1.1: Inception report for Maralal

The inception report is based on the interpretation of the assignment by the contractors

and is derived from the terms of reference, desk top review of secondary information

on Maralal town and reconnaissance field visits. The inception report for Maralal town

say what the contractors intents to do, how it will be done, why and when.

The Maralal inception report contains:

1. The purpose and scope of the ISUD study

2. Objectives of the ISUD plan

3. Description of local of Maralal town

4. Scope of data collection

5. Population projections

6. Baseline information on physical features and vegetation

7. Baseline information on infrastructural development

8. Main Planning problems

9. Possible strategies to address planning problems

10.

Settlement challenges in Maralal

11.

Possible Development control and growth management strategies for Maralal

12.

The economic situation of Maralal town

13.Methodology of study

Preparation of feasibility studiesFeasibility study is more comprehensive than situation analysis. While the situation

analysis focuses on understanding the prevailing conditions and identifying planning

problems for a given area, feasibility study identifies the strength, weaknesses,

opportunities and threats (SWOT) in human sectors including political, economic,

social, legal technological and ecological (PESTLE) systems.

Feasibility study is different from the inception report because it is based on field

situation analysis or environmental scanning. It actually presents the existing field


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situation and identifies the planning challenges that need to be addressed by the ISUD

plan, existing resources, and compliance with legal framework. Feasibility study report

is arrived at after thorough field research and may actually be equated to problem

identification stage in the planning process. Given the strategic nature of the process

and the use of SWOT tool, the feasibility report contains four main sections:

1. Comprehensive identification of strengths for the area under planning in all the

sectors of the society. Strengths are internal advantages and may include both

physical and human resources manifested by prevalent activities in the area. The

process should be analytical enough to identify both visible and hidden resources

and potentials. For the case of Maralal potentials were indentified based on

specific sectors.

2. Identification of weaknesses in all sectors. Realization of potentials for any given

area involves efficient exploitation of resources. The Maralal plan feasibility

report identified many obstacles and challenges to exploitation of identified

potential resources. This

3. Identification of opportunities. Opportunities are external benefits that may

accrue to the area under planning because of its resource potential. This include

markets for goods and services, access to raw materials and skilled labour,

improvement in overall economic performance and so forth

4. Identification of threats. Threats may include externally oriented factors beyond

the control of the community. This may include phenomenon like drought,

competition from other producers, and political instability in target markets,

inflation and so forth.

Maralal feasibility report

The Maralal feasibility study resulted from various studies handled by specialist from

each of sector and contains a detailed description of the prevailing situation in the

sector, major problems and main challenges and potentials. The main sectors


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represented include the economic sector, infrastructural sector, socio-cultural and land

management and environmental management sector

The Maralal feasibility report presented the following broad sector analysis information:

1. Baseline information

2. Planning policy and Legal framework

3. SWOT analysis for the economic development sector

4. SWOT analysis for socio-cultural sector

5.

SWOT analysis for infrastructural sector

6.

SWOT analysis for land use and environmental management.

Each sectoral analysis was handled by a lead expert with specialization and experience

in the sector. (I personally handled planning policy and legal framework and land use

and environmental sectors)

Tables below shows format for SWOT analysis for each broad sector in Maralal town

Table 2: SWOT analysis for economic development sectors of Maralal

sector livestock tourism agriculture Honey

production

Strengths

identified

Weaknesses

or challenges

Opportunitiesor potentials

Threats


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Table 3: SWOT analysis for infrastructural sectors

Sector Roads Railway Water health housing waste security ICT

Strengths

identified

Weaknesses

or challenges

Opportunities

or potentials

Threats

Table 4: SWOT analysis for socio-cultural sectors

Sector Education

& training

Cultural

practices

Gender

women &

youth

affairs

sports Human

resources

Strengths

identified

Presence of

tertiary

institutions

Attractive

dances,

ornaments

Weaknesses

or challenges

Low school

enrolments

gender

discrimination,

FGM

Opportunities

or potentials

Threats Social

conflicts and

cultural

practices

including

Cattle

rustling,


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FGM

Table 5: SWOT analysis for land use and environmental management sector

sector Existing land

use

Land use

potential

Land tenure

systems

Environmental

management

Strengths

Weaknesses or

challenges

Opportunities

or potentials

Threats

Pertinent SWOT identified for different sectors in Maralal town

Economic sector

Infrastructure

Socio-cultural

Land use and environmental management

Conclusion

Derived from the above, it can be seen that the Maralal ISUD plan process did not

follow a strategic planning trajectory as it identified only sector challenges and

potentials but did not distinguish between threats and weaknesses; opportunities andstrengths. Weaknesses and strengths are internal elements and may require internal-

focused resources and manipulations. Threats and opportunities are however external

and beyond the control of the society and may require far reaching solutions.


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Chapter three

The process of preparing ISUD plans

In this chapter we look at the substantive technical and practical processes that are

used in preparing ISUD plans together with their implications for the quality of the plan.

We will use Maralal ISUD preparation process to illustrate and indicate products that

come from each process and inputs that determine the outcome. Preparation of the

ISUD plan is the most crucial of all the processes of integrated strategic planning.

Based on the diagnosis, and keeping in mind its antecedents and conclusions, strengths

and weaknesses, the next step is the creation of scenarios and is based on the use of

imagination and rigour, the development of prospective tasks related to the creation of

future alternatives from which the implementing authority can select a model or vision

for the target urban area. Their choice will be the basis for the generation of related

key topics and/or directions for general actions to be taken.

At this stage its important for the planners to recast their mind on the terms of

reference given by the client. The planning process should be guided by the terms of

reference.

The planning process is participatory and requires the planner to present his options to

stakeholders and build consensus towards final options. Strategic planning like its

related advocacy planning approach is a consensus building processes.

-

Chapter four

Conclusions and recommendations and lessons learnt

The Maralal planning process was based on identified challenges which included

weaknesses and threats rather than potentials involved in strengths and opportunities.


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This way the plan ended up with less innovative solutions, poorly developed vision and

mission

Project for oral submission to the physical planning registration board.docx

Documents

Transcript of Project for oral submission to the physical planning registration board.docx