Adaptive Governance and Community Agency in Crisis: A Qualitative Study of Stakeholder Engagement in Seke District, Zimbabwe

The COVID-19 pandemic caused serious problems all across the world, particularly in places with little resources like Seke District of Zimbabwe. With an emphasis on adaptive governance, community agency, and crisis management, this qualitative study sought to investigate stakeholder contributions and views of community engagement in the COVID-19 pandemic response within Seke District. Thirty purposefully sampled stakeholders, including government officials, health professionals, traditional and religious leaders, and representatives of non-governmental organisations, participated in semi-structured interviews as part of a qualitative approach. Thematic analysis was then used to pinpoint important themes pertaining to community engagement, community participation, stakeholder engagement strategies and results. During the COVID-19 pandemic in Seke District, community engagement involved hybrid communication networks that combined conventional means with digital platforms like WhatsApp. The legitimacy of public health initiatives was greatly aided by local and religious players. Adaptive resource allocation to vulnerable populations was facilitated by community-based data systems and participatory planning. Despite enduring obstacles like inadequate infrastructure, digital exclusion, false information, and socioeconomic weaknesses, the results included increased health literacy, improved stakeholder collaboration, improved disease control, and livelihood modifications. In Seke District, Zimbabwe, the study emphasises the significance of trusted local leadership and context-specific community engagement in pandemic response. These results offer important insights into successful stakeholder engagement strategies in low-resource environments during the COVID-19 epidemic, providing lessons for similar health emergencies in the future.