IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0335130.html

Power and interest levels in safely managed sanitation services in Zambia: A stakeholder mapping

Author

Listed:
  • Beatrice Chiwala
  • Mpundu Makasa
  • Joseph Mumba Zulu

Abstract

Background: Access to safely managed sanitation (SMS) in sub-Saharan Africa including Zambia remains a challenge. Variations in power and interest among stakeholder significantly influence access to SMS. However, there is limited contextualization of how power and interest levels among stakeholders influenced access to SMS. The study aimed to explore and analyze how stakeholders perceived their power and interest in the context of providing SMS. The study applied the Mendelow Stakeholder Matrix to identify, characterize and analyze the actors involved in the provision of SMS in peri-urban areas in Lusaka, Zambia. Methods: A narrative qualitative research design was employed in this study. Ninety–four (94) respondents participated in the study – 25 key informants who were representatives from Government Institutions/Departments, Cooperating Partners, NGOs and community level stakeholders; 60 discussants who participated in focus group discussions, while nine (9) community leaders took part in transect walks conducted in the target areas of Kanyama, Chawama and George. Nvivo14 was utilized for data management and analysis. Results: The main results suggested that stakeholders displayed interrelationships that were symbiotic as they depended on each other to deliver their mandates. Stakeholders categorized into Mendelow quadrants displayed varying levels of homogeneity in power and interest. In addition, some stakeholders such as the Local Authority shifted quadrants when seen to perform dual roles for example to implement and enforce the policies aimed at improved public health. Conclusion: The stakeholders’ quadrant position coupled with persisted changes in their positions influenced their capacity to contribute effectively to the implementation of strategies to enhance access to SMS. This equally meant that implementers of SMS interventions have to regularly assess their engagement mechanisms to foster dialogue and coordination among stakeholders. Policy implications, especially to Government, may mean allocation of adequate resources to key players to enable them deliver on their respective mandates. Similarly, implications to practitioners might be the need to periodically review stakeholders and forge alliances coupled with conducting multi-sectoral meetings aimed to streamline their functions for the successful delivery of SMS.

Suggested Citation

  • Beatrice Chiwala & Mpundu Makasa & Joseph Mumba Zulu, 2025. "Power and interest levels in safely managed sanitation services in Zambia: A stakeholder mapping," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 20(11), pages 1-27, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0335130
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0335130
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0335130
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0335130&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0335130?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sinharoy, Sheela S. & Pittluck, Rachel & Clasen, Thomas, 2019. "Review of drivers and barriers of water and sanitation policies for urban informal settlements in low-income and middle-income countries," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 1-1.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sania Ashraf & Jinyi Kuang & Upasak Das & Alex Shpenev & Erik Thulin & Cristina Bicchieri, 2022. "Social beliefs and women’s role in sanitation decision making in Bihar, India: An exploratory mixed method study," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(1), pages 1-19, January.
    2. Jedidiah S. Snyder & Graeme Prentice-Mott & Charles Boera & Alex Mwaki & Kelly T. Alexander & Matthew C. Freeman, 2020. "The Sustainability and Scalability of Private Sector Sanitation Delivery in Urban Informal Settlement Schools: A Mixed Methods Follow Up of a Randomized Trial in Nairobi, Kenya," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-17, July.
    3. Marine Colon & Thierry Rieu & Pierre Bauby & Laurent Bibard & Christian Binz & Olivier Crespi- Reghizzi & Shubhagato Dasgupta & Sam Drabble & Amal Ennabih & Lætitia Guérin-Schneider & Miriam Hacker & , 2022. "Overcoming Institutional and Organisational Barriers to Sanitation: What's New? [Surmonter les barrières institutionnelles et organisationnelles à l'assainissement: quoi de neuf ?]," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-04986717, HAL.
    4. Marine Colon & Thierry Rieu & Pierre Bauby & Laurent Bibard & Christian Binz & Olivier Crespi- Reghizzi & Shubhagato Dasgupta & Sam Drabble & Amal Ennabih & Lætitia Guérin-Schneider & Miriam Hacker & , 2022. "Overcoming Institutional and Organisational Barriers to Sanitation: What's New? [Surmonter les barrières institutionnelles et organisationnelles à l'assainissement: quoi de neuf ?]," Post-Print hal-04986717, HAL.
    5. Almeida, Renan P. & Hungaro, Lucas, 2021. "Water and sanitation governance between austerity and financialization," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    6. Luqman Khalil & Shujaat Abbas & Kamil Hussain & Khalid Zaman & Iswan & Hailan Salamun & Zainudin Bin Hassan & Muhammad Khalid Anser, 2022. "Sanitation, water, energy use, and traffic volume affect environmental quality: Go-for-green developmental policies," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(8), pages 1-19, August.
    7. Surachman, Eko Nur & Perwitasari, Sevi Wening & Suhendra, Maman, 2022. "Stakeholder management mapping to improve public-private partnership success in emerging country water projects: Indonesia’s experience," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    8. Vélez-Ramírez, Alberto & Rivera-Castañeda, Patricia & Muñoz-Pizza, Dalia M., 2022. "Institutional capacity determinants in a global south city: the case of a wastewater utility in Zacatecas, Mexico," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    9. Rashmi Shukla, 2025. "Vulnerability of slum households in access to sanitation facilities in India: a case study of Lucknow City," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 27(2), pages 566-580, August.
    10. Bhandari, Pratik & Creighton, Douglas & Gong, Jinzhe & Boyle, Carol & Law, Kris M.Y., 2023. "Evolution of cyber-physical-human water systems: Challenges and gaps," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    11. Michaela F. Prescott & Meredith F. Dobbie & Diego Ramirez-Lovering, 2021. "Green Infrastructure for Sanitation in Settlements in the Global South: A Narrative Review of Socio-Technical Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-21, February.
    12. Scheihing, Konstantin W. & Tanner, Jane & Weaver, Matthew & Schöniger, Matthias, 2020. "A strategy to enhance management of free basic water via communal taps in South Africa," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    13. Narzetti, Daniel Antonio & Marques, Rui Cunha, 2021. "Isomorphic mimicry and the effectiveness of water-sector reforms in Brazil," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    14. Lerebours, Alix & Scott, Rebecca & Sansom, Kevin & Kayaga, Sam, 2021. "Regulating sanitation services in sub-saharan africa: An overview of the regulation of emptying and transport of faecal sludge in 20 cities and its implementation," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    15. John T Trimmer & Haleemah Qureshi & Miriam Otoo & Caroline Delaire, 2023. "The enabling environment for citywide water service provision: Insights from six successful cities," PLOS Water, Public Library of Science, vol. 2(6), pages 1-29, June.
    16. Tyhotyholo, Thembelani & Ncube, Bongani, 2023. "The rhetoric of community participation in urban South African water governance," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    17. Sprouse, Lauren & Lebu, Sarah & Nguyen, Jackqueline & Muoghalu, Chimdi & Semiyaga, Swaib & Manga, Musa, 2025. "What is driving reliance on shared sanitation in urban informal settlements? Challenges and pathways for improvement," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    18. Joshi, Nupur & Gerlak, Andrea K. & Hannah, Corrie & Lopus, Sara & Krell, Natasha & Evans, Tom, 2023. "Water insecurity, housing tenure, and the role of informal water services in Nairobi’s slum settlements," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    19. Jolanta Tamošaitienė & Hadi Sarvari & Daniel W. M. Chan & Matteo Cristofaro, 2020. "Assessing the Barriers and Risks to Private Sector Participation in Infrastructure Construction Projects in Developing Countries of Middle East," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-20, December.
    20. Valette, Héloïse & Colon, Marine, 2024. "Institutional change for the development of urban sanitation in the Global South: A social science review," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0335130. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.