Assessing the Implementation of E-Governance in Local Councils: A Case Study of the Land Administration Platform in Chipata

Public service delivery within Zambia's local government system has long been undermined by bureaucratic inertia, procedural delay, and weak mechanisms of accountability. E-governance has increasingly been embraced as a strategic response to these constraints, offering a pathway toward more transparent, efficient, and participatory public administration. This study critically examines the implementation of e-governance in local councils, using the Land Administration Platform (LAP) operated by Chipata City Council as its case. The study pursued three objectives: to establish the extent to which the LAP has been implemented in Chipata; to evaluate its effectiveness in strengthening service delivery, accountability, and public trust in local governance; and to identify the principal challenges and opportunities shaping its continued adoption. A qualitative case study design was employed, drawing on semi-structured interviews with council officials, local stakeholders, and residents, together with documentary analysis of relevant policy frameworks and implementation reports. The findings show that the LAP has strengthened record-keeping, reduced opportunities for corruption in land allocation, and improved public access to land information. Its full potential, however, remains constrained by limited technical capacity among council staff, inadequate funding, unreliable internet connectivity, and resistance to change among both officials and sections of the community. Low levels of citizen awareness and digital literacy have further limited the extent to which residents are able to benefit from the platform. The study concludes that while the Land Administration Platform marks a significant step toward the modernisation of local governance in Zambia, considerable work remains if its institutional, technical, and social foundations are to be strengthened. It recommends increased investment in digital infrastructure, sustained capacity-building for council personnel, targeted public awareness campaigns, and firmer policy enforcement to secure the sustainability and inclusivity of e-governance systems going forward. By foregrounding both the transformative potential and the practical limitations of technology-driven reform in local government, this research contributes to the expanding body of literature on e-governance across Africa.