Nairobi, at the Kenyatta International Convention Center, the fourth edition of the Huduma Ombudsman Awards 2023 was held, organized by the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) to honor outstanding public officers and institutions.
According to Kenya News Agency, Veronica Nduva, the government encourages public feedback on services as a means to assess and enhance performance. She emphasized the importance of acknowledging both complaints and compliments from the public to improve service delivery and enable efficient citizen access to services.
Nduva highlighted the role of public servants in serving with humility and grace, aligning with Wycliffe Thirikwa’s view that public officers should take citizens’ complaints seriously and serve wholeheartedly. The awards event focused on ‘Improved Public Service Delivery by Deepening and Strengthening Administrative Justice and Access to Information.’ Winners included Kenya Revenue Authority, Huduma Kenya, and the National Council for Law Reporting in various institutional categories.
Corporal Julius Karanja Irungu, stationed at Wajir SOG, received the Ombudsman valor award for bravery during an IED terror attack in Wajir. Precious Dama Randu, Assistant County Commissioner in the Matsangoni division, Kilifi North Sub-County, was recognized in the public service delivery category. The awards spanned individual, institutional, and Ombudsman valor categories, highlighting effective, accountable, and responsive public service.
CAJ Chairperson Florence Kajuju emphasized the importance of the public portal of the Complaints Management Information System (CMIS) for lodging complaints. She noted the commission’s efforts in strengthening complaint mechanisms by training government officers and building capacity across Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for managing walk-ins.