We lack funds to do our job, ombudsman says

Residents of Northeastern can now heave a sigh of relief following the opening of an office of the Commission on Administrative Justice, also known as the ombudsman.

It was allocated a place at the National Gender and Equality Commission offices. CAJ chairperson Florence Kajuju said the office will go a long way in addressing complaints of the residents and help them get justice.

She, however, lamented that the meagre budget allocated has made their work difficult and they are unable to reach many Kenyans in need of their services.

Kajuju said that even though their strategic intention was ensure that the services of the office of the ombudsman are felt at the lowest level of governance, that can only be achieved with funds.

She said it is the issue of budgetary limitations that led them to ask for space from the gender commission.

“We are an independent commission that is supposed to get funds for us to be able to deliver on our mandate. Our  commission expects not less than Sh1 billion every financial year to be able to reach out to every citizen in this country,” she said.

Kajuju said they had been receiving complaints from residents of Northeastern region but  didn't have the opportunity to interact with the residents because they dint have an office.

NGEC chairperson Joyce Mutinda called on children and children's organizations, youths, women, persons living with disability and marginalised communities to bring their complaints to their offices.

Edited by Henry Makori