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Government Strategic Planning Simplified



Government Strategic Planning starts with the manifesto of the ruling Party. This is the document that a ruling Party uses to attract votes. It is the promises that it makes to the electorate. After elections a 5 year Medium Term Strategic Framework (MTSF) is developed from the ruling Party’s manifesto by Government. This MTSF turns the manifesto into a Government Program and it takes other government plans like the National Development Plan (NDP) into account. This process is normally led from the Presidency by a unit known as the Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. Treasury also plays a role. The MTSF has to be adopted by cabinet. It then become binding on everyone who works for Government. All government departments have got to find where they fit in that MTSF. They each develop a departmental five year Strategic Plan. This plan is basically the Department’s response to the MTSF which is, in turn, a response to the ruling Party’s manifesto.

In that period of 5 years on an annual basis each department has got to plan on how it will achieve its Strategic Plan. It produces what is known as the Annual Performance Plan (APP). The APP says these are the things that we are going to do in this year to move towards achieving what is in thestrategic plan. The APP is linked to the budget as it has to be more concrete than the Strategic Plan. Units (like HR, Finance etc) within the Department have got to produce Operational Plans that speak to the Annual Performance Plan. The Finance unit has got to say these are the things that we are going to do on our side to ensure the achievement of what is in the Annual Performance Plan. This is then monitored quarterly. Quarterly reports are produced on whether what is in the operational plans is being met because that will mean the department is in line for meeting its promises that are captured in the Annual Performance Plan. If the Annual Performance Plans are achieved the Departmental 5 year Strategic Plan is achieved. If all Government Departments achieve on their Strategic Plans then the Government-wide Medium Term Strategic Framework is achieved. If the MTSF is achieved then the ruling Party has achieved on its election manifesto promises.

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