Over half of citizens’ complaints target ministries, Ombudsman reveals

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The Chairperson of the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), Mr Charles Orinda Dulo, has raised concern that government ministries are responsible for more than half of the complaints lodged by citizens over the past 18 months.

Speaking during a forum with principal secretaries in Nairobi, Mr Dulo said 53 per cent of grievances received by the Ombudsman between January 2024 and June 2025 involved ministries, while the remainder were linked to various state agencies.

He noted that some cases cannot be resolved by one institution alone and require the involvement of multiple actors.

“Some complaints, such as labour disputes, cut across agencies. They may need interventions from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), the Treasury and other institutions. You cannot have only one ministry resolving a complaint without involving others,” Mr Dulo said.

To improve efficiency, CAJ has launched new digital tools, including the Complaints Management Information System (CMIS) and the Partial Ombudsman mobile application, to enable Kenyans to file and track complaints online.

Mr Dulo added that the Commission is scaling up county outreach through town hall meetings and public awareness forums to educate citizens about their rights and how they can lodge complaints.

Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, Mr Felix Koskei, welcomed the initiative, saying the Constitution has strengthened governance by empowering independent commissions.

“Our Constitution is now 15 years old, and the commissions have matured. They are here to support government in delivering services to the people,” Mr Koskei said.

He, however, cautioned that some complaints may take longer to resolve due to confidentiality concerns or when cases are before the courts.

“There are situations where information cannot be released because of confidentiality or because a matter is in court. But we will continue working with the Ombudsman to ensure accountability and service delivery,” he added.