Assessment Of Utilization Of Client Service Charter In Local Government Authorities: A Case Of Morogoro Municipality, Tanzania

ABSTRACT

Client Service Charter (CSC) has been introduced in Tanzania with the view of improving the quality of governmental service delivery, increasing the level of citizens’ satisfaction and enhancing efficiency of bureaucratic apparatus. This study aimed at assessing utilization of this tool at Morogoro Municipal Council. The study focused on assessing disposition (cognition and reaction) of officials on CSC; examine the awareness level of customers on CSC with their demographic characteristics, assessing customer’s satisfaction on the services delivered to them before and after introduction of CSC and exploring institutional factors put forward to influence utilization of CSC. A total of 150 respondents, 100 customers and 50 officials were involved in the study. Two different semi-structured questionnaires for customers and officials as well as a checklist of items for interview with key informants were used for data collection. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were both used to analyze the data from customers and officials. The findings indicated that; generally, officials had low cognition level on CSC. However, for the officials who were aware of the charter, they had positive reaction towards it. Customers also had low awareness level on CSC and among all demographic characteristics, only education was found to influence their awareness level on CSC. The study showed that there was an increase in satisfaction level of customers after the introduction of CSC within the Municipality. Furthermore, the study revealed that the Council has not promoted CSC effectively, the council did not have CSC committee, and there were no monitoring and evaluation mechanisms. It was concluded that, awareness levels of both customers and officials on this important tool were low. Despite an increase in satisfaction level of customers after introducing the charter in the Municipality, institutionalization of CSC in the municipality suffers a lot as the Council has not taken considerable measures in promoting the charter, formulating CSC ii committee, monitoring and evaluating the charter. The study recommended that for effective utilization of the charter, the Morogoro Municipal Council should raise awareness of CSC to both officials and customers. The Council should also use all possible means to promote, formulate CSC committee and monitor and evaluate the charter in order to make it an effective working tool.