The Minister of Urban and Rural Development, Sankwasa James Sankwasa, has launched the ministry's revised Customer Service Charter, aimed at improving service delivery and strengthening accountability within the institution.

Before the launch, a moment of silence was observed in honour of the two ministry staff members, who were the minister's driver and bodyguard, respectively, and who both died in a car accident last week.

The new charter outlines the ministry's mandate, sets service standards and reaffirms its commitment to efficient and responsive public service.

Sankwasa urged officials to reflect on "who the customer is", stressing that staff must recognise both internal and external customers.

"If you don't know the mission of this ministry, it means you don't know why the ministry exists. This is the conflict we have with the different stakeholders. Does the regional council know why the ministry exists? And the way they fit in."

Addressing supervisors directly, the minister called for stronger leadership and accountability, saying they must continually assess how effectively they carry out their duties.

He also highlighted ongoing challenges, particularly in terms of land management, and questioned whether traditional authorities fully understand the ministry's role.