Kachere residents push for Service Charter

Women and young people from Kachere Township in Blantyre are basking in glory after influencing the implementation of a Service Charter, which had been gathering dust at Blantyre City Council (BCC).

BCC developed the Service Charter 10 years ago aimed at driving service delivery using a more responsive approach.

But the council did not launch as well as operationalise it until Concerned Youth Organisation (CYO) from Kachere Township came in to influence its implementation.

Under its Tilitonse-funded Promoting Citizen Participation and Implementation of the Service Charters project, CYO empowered women and the youth from Kachere Township to demand their rights.

Maness Mataka, a Kachere Township businessperson, said lack of knowledge affected the residents.

“At first, [there was] unsatisfactory service delivery and lack of knowledge and information by citizens on the Service Charter. Worse still, we didn’t know that it is our right to demand our health rights from duty-bearers such as Blantyre City Council until CYO enlightened us and moved the city fathers,” said Mataka.

According to CYO executive director Harvey Chimaliro, since the official signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with BCC last year, Kachere residents have witnessed a responsive council. n