Kangacepe Zulu^1,, Vincent Kanyamuna², Chitembo K. Chunga³, Easton Simenti-Phiri⁴

Development planning has been observed to be a critical element in the process of development attainment. The support for development planning at national and sub-national levels has gained momentum over the years and is considered essential to both developed and developing countries alike. Zambia has in like manner adopted national development planning as a tool to foster national development attainment. It is within the Zambian context that this study sought to exploit the gap in literature and scholarly discourse in relation to reviewing the progression of national development planning in Zambia. Through archival, secondary and informant interview data analysis and synthesis, this study highlights the significant changes to the development planning institutions and processes in Zambia’s post-independence era from 1964 to date. It can be observed that significant institutional, policy, process and legislation changes have occurred over the years, and these have been accompanied by peculiar development planning challenges. From these observations, the study highlights policy lessons that inter alia include the need for commitment and adaptability; clarity on political roles and technocrats responsibilities; the need to devise models that synchronize economic stabilization goals and development planning goals; ensuring that financing instruments are programme/project specific and not conceived in generalities; and the need for the planning institutions to have goodwill from peer/sector institutions as much as from the politicians. Essentially, it is observed that development planning institutional changes are justified as long as they are aimed at continuous internal improvements and are responsive to emerging inclusive development dynamics.

development, national development planning, development coordination, public policy, NDP, Zambia