Newsletter 2014
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OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN N EWSLETTER 2015 ISSUE JANUARY 2014—DECEMBER 2014 OUR MOTTO Upholding fairness, good governance and rule of law OUR VISION To be recognized as a leader in the enforcement and promotion of good administrative practices, rule of law, good governance and respect for hu- man rights OUR MISSION To professionally , independently, impar- tially and fairly investigate and resolve cases of alleged injustice and provide remedies, safeguard good governance, respect for rule of law and human rights. MANDATE To inquire into, investigate and take such actions or steps concerning any alleged instance or matter of abuse of power or unfair treatment of any person by an official in the employ of any organ of government, or manifest injustice or conduct by such official which would properly be regarded as oppressive or unfair in an open and democratic socie- ty.” These may include it is alleged that “any decision or recommendation taken or made by or made under the authority of any organ of government or any act or omission of such organ is unreasona- ble, unjust, or unfair, or is based on any practice which may be deemed as such PROTECTING AGAINST MALADMINISTRATION, INJUSTICE, PROMOTING RULE OF LAW AND ADVOCAT- ING GOOD GOVERNANCE Ombudsman Services are Free CONTENTS 1. Message from the Ombudsman PUBLISHER 2. Editors Note THE OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN St Martins House 3. About Office of the Ombudsman. Private Bag 348 Capital City 4. Taking the Ombudsman to the People- Lilongwe 3 Civic Education Tel: + 265 (0) 1 774 899/866 Fax: +265 (0) 1 774 958 5. Know your Ombudsman EDITOR 6. Office of the Ombudsman holds a perfor- Felix Masekesa mance management workshop. CONTRIBUTORS 7. The office of the Ombudsman in solid Wakumanya Sibande waste management. Sipho Madula 8.Case updates, determinations and suc- Chifuniro Mkumpha cessful cases. Cecilia Synoden Khumbo Mwalwimba 9. Staff update 10. Activities in pictures Design& Published by: 11The office of the Ombudsman in newspa- pers. 12.Leisure 13 Poetry Ombudsman Services are Free 2 MESSAGE FROM THE HONOURABLE OMBUDSMAN ear readers, it gives me pleasure to find this opportunity to engage with you through this first issue of our News- D letter in 2015. Receive my New Year Greetings. Please be assured that I wish you the best in all your endeavors. The Office of the Ombudsman has tirelessly worked hard to en- sure that you, our readers are aware of your constitutional body which was purposely created to consolidate democracy which was earned some twenty years ago. The Office has been engaged with the citizenry in different forms; conducted Public awareness sessions to Public officers at the National and District levels, in- vestigated cases, recruited some additional members of staff, written and issued determinations on various cases among other activities. The Sensitization workshops and Public rallies were aimed at informing the Citizenry about he Mandate, Roles, Func- tions, Vision, Jurisdiction and Powers of the Ombudsman. Dear readers, the interactive sessions greatly contributed to enhancing the visibility of the office and a lot of public officers including those who retired several years ago have been equipped with pro- cedures on how to report acts of maladministration occasioned by Public Institutions and Officials. There have also been a lot of on spot investigations by our Investigations team. I am extremely proud to inform you that we are able to close about ninety cases in a month. This is a formidable work. Allow me to congratulate them on your behalf. You may wish to know that the office presently has more than twenty five (25) graduates in the staff compliment. This is more than six (6) graduates which I found when I came into the office in October 2010.I am confident that when you visit our offices you will experience a more welcoming and good customer care which will leave you with fond good memories of the office. I am also proud to inform you that in our effort to improve our service delivery the Office has with effect from September, 2014 introduced staff Performance Management system which will help to monitor staff performance in order to fulfill the office’s intended purpose. I am also happy to report that most of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies are complying with the Office of the Ombudsman’s determinations and recommendations. In a special way, I would like to congratulate the Ministry of Agri- culture, Irrigation and Water Development with special recognition of their Desk Officer, Mrs. Taju who has always timely responded to the issues concerning them. This Ministry has demonstrated an exceptional and outstanding per- formance in responding to Office of the Ombudsman questions and queries. In pursuance of our mandate which is complimented by the Ombudsman Act No 10 of 1996, Section 5 [b] {ii} the office was engaged in a Landmark Pilot study on Democratic Accountability-Solid Waste Management in Local Councils. This was to assess the service delivery levels in Solid waste Management by our Local Councils. Lastly ,I wish to gladly inform you that, in our efforts of taking the Ombudsman to the people, we have opened a Region- al Office in the Eastern region of Malawi, situated in Balaka District. This will enhance peoples access to the services of the Ombudsman. We also have regional offices in Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu.. Let us join hands as we strive to promote, Democratic Governance, Rule of Law and Human Rights. I trust that you will enjoy reading the First edition of this Newsletter. We will meet again in the next edition. Thank You!!! Ombudsman Services are Free 3 ment. In its quest to operate in an efficient and effective way, the Office has introduced a new management system where the employees from the Office in all regions attended a workshop on the new management system. After reading this mouthwatering publication you will find out what the system is. We are also pleased to inform you in this issue about the birth of our new Eastern region Office in Balaka as we are trying to reach all the people in the country. “Taking the Ombudsman to the people.” You will also have a pictorial focus on some of the activities that the Office embarked on, in the year 2014 and what the press wrote about this Office. EDITOR’S NOTE Welcome to the 1st Office of the Ombudsman Newsletter Let me take this opportunity to remind you our readers publication for the year 2015. We are very happy and and the general public that the Office of the Ombudsman delighted to present to you this first issue. As you know is open to anyone who feels he has experienced injustice or that the Office of the Ombudsman is mandated by the con- his rights violated and who sees that acts of maladmin- stitution of the Republic of Malawi in section 123 (1) to istration are taking place by and within the Government receive, investigate and provide remedies to cases involving and its organs. Our doors are always open and our dedi- practices of injustice, maladministration, violation of hu- cated staff is ready to assist you. man rights and disrespect of the rule of law by Public offic- ers and Public organs. Public organs include all other enti- Remember the Office has four offices where you can lodge ties that are established by an Act of Parliament and are your complaints. In the Northern region we have the fully or partially funded by the Government. The birth of Mzuzu Office in Mpico house opposite ESCOM, in Lilongwe this publication will help this Office update the general we have the headquarters in ST Martin house city center, public on how it is operating and carrying out its activities, where the Central region Offices are also situated. In the and also disseminate relevant information concerning the Eastern region we have the Balaka Office situated in Bala- Office of the Ombudsman to the populace. ka and in the Southern region we have Offices in Blantyre, Kannabar house opposite Mount Soche hotel. This first issue has covered cross cutting issues in the Of- fice of the Ombudsman. You will have the chance to know Let me also thank the dedicated team that has worked so your Ombudsman, Honourable, Justice Mrs. Tujilane Chi- hard to produce this publication. It is going to be a quar- zumila (RTD). You will also learn that the Office of the Om- terly publication and expect the next issue in April 2015. budsman has taken a further step in its operations in pro- moting democratic accountability, where it has embarked on a campaign in promoting Democratic Accountability in ENJOY YOUR READING!!!!!!! public service delivery particularly in Solid Waste Manage- ABOUT MALAWI’S OFFICE OF THE OMBUDSMAN stablished under section 120 of the 1994 constitution of Malawi, and complimented by the Ombudsman Act No 10 of 1996 the Office of the Ombudsman is an independ- ent Public institution which was instituted to curb any Eacts of maladministration occasioned by public officials and or- gans of government on the citizens. Organs of government in- cludes the state and any local authority, board, commission, com- mittee, corporation, body or institution established or instituted by or under any written law. The Office started operating in the country in 1995, with a Motto of Justice all, a vision to promote and defend good administrative practices, rule of law, accountability, transparency and respect for Office of the Ombudsman Headquaerters and Central human rights. The office’s mission is to professionally, Region Offices,St.Martins house,City centre,Lilongwe. To Page 4 Ombudsman Services are Free 4 WHAT IS THE OF- man to perform his or her duties, the five years imprisonment.