Commission Launches Digital Public Complaints System

Speaking during the event, Hon. Lady Justice Ndung’u who represented Lady Justice Martha Karambu Koome, Chief Justice of the Republic of Kenya and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya, congratulated the Commission for launching the system and took the attendees down memory lane on the challenges the Committee of Experts faced in having the Chapter 15 Commissions in the Constitution.

She noted that there was a lot of resistance from some quarters who were not comfortable with having an Ombudsman institution entrenched in the constitution. Hon Ndung’u thanked GIZ for supporting the justice sector players in Kenya and noted that technology is the future for the watchdog institutions as it should be harnessed to improve access to justice.

On her part, the Chief Justice, in her speech read by Hon Ndung’u, congratulated the Commission for launching the CMIS system which will go a long way in improving the efficiency and effective management of complaints by the Commission, and that the Commission had taken a major step in making its services more accessible to Kenyans, especially the vulnerable.

“This system will reengineer the Commission’s approach and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of its work and enable its services to reach more Kenyans, especially the marginalised and vulnerable groups in our society,” she said.

Further, the Chief Justice noted that the system is a promise to offer high-quality services to Kenyans and to reach more Kenyans as the public can now lodge and monitor their complaints from the comfort of their homes.

“Apart from allowing CAJ to resolve complaints from individuals, complaints-handling also serves a wider goal, considering information provided acts as an early warning system of serious underlying problems with the inner workings of a public body,” said Hon. Justice Koome.

The Chairperson of the Commission, Hon. Florence Kajuju, noted that digitisation and decentralisation of Ombudsman Services were the key commitments the Commissioners made when they took office in 2018. With the launch of the CMIS, she said, the Commission will be able to bridge the gap where there are no physical offices since complainants can easily access the Ombudsman services online with the system being able to receive complaints on administrative injustices and appeals for review under the access to information.

Hon. Kajuju further noted that since 1st April 2022 when the CMIS system was piloted, the Commission has processed 493 complaints through the system. She also thanked GIZ for their support which was very central in the development and launch of the system.

She also appreciated the Judiciary for promoting alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and committed that the Commission will continue partnering with the Judiciary in promoting the utilisation of ADR.

The Commissioner in Charge of Access to Information, Ms. Lucy Ndung'u while making her remarks stated that public institutions must provide information proactively and upon request as access to information is important as an enabler for public participation and good governance, promoting transparency and accountability in the management of public affairs. She noted that the CMIS system will offer real-time information as the public can lodge and monitor complaints and will improve transparency in the management of complaints and digitisation of records at the Commission which is a key requirement under the access to information law.

The Commission Secretary/CEO, Ms. Mercy Wambua on her part said the launch of the CMIS was a historic event for the Commission and the people of Kenya as it marks a major transition of the Commission and its services to the digital era. Ms. Wambua said the system will enable members of the public to lodge their complaints and monitor the complaints from wherever they are and assured partners that the Commission is committed to ensuring efficient resolution of complaints, timely access to information, and enhancement of transparency.

The County Director for GIZ, Mr. Bodo Imminik, noted that the launch of the CMIS system marks a very significant milestone in improving access to justice and is a sign of the long-standing partnership between GIZ and the Commission. He further noted that access to information challenges and inefficient public service delivery are major risks as they contribute to corruption.

He said GIZ will continue supporting the Commission in the promotion of good governance and accountability and enumerated the programmes GIZ is currently supporting, which include capacity building of public officers on complaints management, enhanced compliance by MDAs and counties under the performance contracting framework, among others.

The launch of the CMIS system, at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre, was attended by representatives from Constitutional Commissions and Independent Offices, the Civil Society Organisations, Ministries, Departments and Agencies, and Members of the Ombudsman Mashinani Committee drawn from Korogocho, Kangemi, Kiambiu and Kawangware.

The system was developed with the support of GIZ, the Good Governance Programme and it enables the public to lodge their complaints and monitor them online to enhance efficiency in complaints management. The system can be accessed through cmis.ombudsman.go.ke.