Service delivery in the digital age: Challenges and opportunities from Bindura Municipality's Mobile Application system.

Abstract

In the face of increasing digitalization, local governments in Zimbabwe, such as Bindura Municipality, embarked on mobile application initiatives to enhance service delivery. This study sought to investigate the challenges and opportunities presented by Bindura Municipality's mobile application initiative, with a focus on service delivery in the digital age. The study was qualitatively conducted among 30 participants who were purposively sampled. It was guided by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Data collection was conducted through key informant interviews, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions as methods. Secondary data sources, including official documents and literature, were also analyzed to compare and validate findings. Data analysis was performed using interpretive thematic analysis and content analysis. The study found that the adoption and utilization of the Bindura Municipality mobile application system was significantly hindered by a lack of citizen awareness, a pervasive lack of trust among residents and financial constraints. Lack of ownership the absence of a monitoring and evaluation system also significantly undermined the success of the mobile application system. The study recommends a comprehensive awareness campaign to educate Bindura residents and a robust monitoring and evaluation system to track the uptake and usage of the mobile application. Moreso, fostering a sense of ownership among both residents and municipal staff is critical.

Keywords: digitization, service delivery, mobile application, utilization, local authority

DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/14-3-04

Publication date: September 30^th 2024