By Mphatso M’bang’ombe:
The Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre (MHRRC) is advocating use of service charters in district councils as a key to strengthening accountability, improving service delivery and enhancing transparency.
Speaking during a service review meeting with heads of departments from Dowa and Ntchisi district councils, held at Mponela in Dowa District, MHRRC Capacity Building Associate, Noel Msiska said service charters remain an important mechanism for strengthening local governance.
The meeting, supported through the NCADCA Country Joint Programme, brought together stakeholders to assess how councils are implementing their service charters and how these tools can enhance citizen engagement.
Msiska said service charters guide how councils deliver services, communicate with the public, and attend to citizens’ concerns.
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“When councils publicly commit to clear service standards, they create a platform for citizens to understand what they should expect from their duty-bearers,” Msiska said.
He added that service charters help eliminate confusion about procedures, enhance predictability of services, and allow citizens to monitor whether departments are fulfilling their obligations.
Dowa District Council Director of Administration Bissai Mtayamanja reaffirmed the council’s commitment to strengthening transparency and ensuring that communities receive timely and quality services.
“We want to be known for professionalism, integrity and responsiveness. Citizens deserve to know how long it takes to access services, who is responsible for what, and where to channel complaints,” he said
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Mtayamanja said the council will continue improving its internal systems to meet the expectations set in the charter and to encourage departments to embrace a culture of accountability.
“We want every office, from health and education to social welfare, to take the service charter seriously and If we work together and follow the commitments we have made, we will significantly improve service delivery in Dowa District,” he said.
The meeting also highlighted challenges such as inadequate dissemination of the charters, limited community awareness, and insufficient monitoring mechanisms
Participants agreed on the need for continuous training of council staff, community sensitisation campaigns, and development of feedback platforms where citizens can report non-compliance.
MHRRC is implementing a project aimed at addressing inequalities in education, health and social protection in Dowa, Ntchisi and Nsanje districts with funding from Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) and Dan Church Aid (DCA) under the NCADCA Country Joint Programme.
The initiative emphasises citizen participation, human rights, and accountability in local governance structures.
