By Chris Koroba
The Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) is examining the operationalisation of two key health programmes rolled out by the national government.
CAJ, which is popularly known as the Office of the Ombudsman, is focusing on the rollout of the Social Health Authority and the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF).
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The commission, which visited Kisii on Tuesday, is also addressing grievances emanating from the Financing Locally-Led Climate Action (FLLCA) programme.
Mercy Wambua who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the commission said CAJ was committed to ensure improved public service delivery, tackling maladministration, and resolving complaints related to various public sector programs.
“The CAJ has a dual mandate extending to both National and County Governments and primarily focuses on addressing issues of maladministration in the public sector,” Wambua said.
Speaking during a meeting with Kisii County Deputy Governor, Elijah Obebo, Wambua emphasized the importance of a robust Grievance Redress Mechanism Policy.
She highlighted that the CAJ has a model in place for public access to information but noted the need for it to be adopted to fit the local context in Kisii.
Currently, Kisii is served by the CAJ from an office located in Kisumu and through a desk at the Huduma Centre, Kisii Town.
The delegation revealed that Kisii is among the counties that have not submitted its reports since they had a meeting with the county leadership in November2023.
On his part, Obebo expressed concern about the lack of reports from Kisii County to the CAJ, which is a requirement every quarter.
In addition to discussing complaint resolution and access to information, the meeting addressed the issue of performance contracting, with a focus on key indicators such as service delivery charters.
Wambua assured the county leadership that the Commission is ready to offer technical support in the domestication of the Access to Information Act.
Ms. Viola Ochola, Director of Access to Information, explained that the desk at Huduma Centre was established to provide easier access to CAJ services for the public, in line with the centralization of government services.
She also clarified that the Access to Information Act is not an absolute right but provides a framework for maximum, rather than total, disclosure.
The meeting heard that the County Attorney’s office has made significant strides in resolving complaints and addressing issues related to the Access to Information Act, with a plan to have a draft of a domesticating law ready for public participation by June this year.
The office also requested the assistance of CAJ in establishing a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) infrastructure and capacity-building support to staff.
The delegation also discussed the importance of succession planning within the county’s departments; with the County Attorney’s office assuring them that the issue was being addressed in the current review of the County’s Human Resource Policy and Procedures.
