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

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
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
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
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.
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
systematic planning approach
Sector specific Integrated
Normative Strategic
Goal-oriented Cost-benefit-oriented
Urban 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 of
different 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
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.

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.

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 and social justice. Generally,
progressive planners draw on citizen groups and social movements 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
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
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
organizations capacities). 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.
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
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
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 making by 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













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 development 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
plan for the ISUD plan
Implement the strategic plan
Define baseline: situation analysis & problem
identification report
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
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 studies
Feasibility 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
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
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

Opportunities
or potentials

Threats


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,

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 and
strengths. 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.

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