Ombudsman to conduct first national survey on access to information

The Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), also known as the Ombudsman, is set to conduct its first-ever survey on access to information in public offices across the country.

Ombudsman Charles Dulo said the State Openness Survey aims to assess how public offices at both national and county levels receive and provide information to the public.

“This is a baseline survey to establish how government offices handle requests for information from members of the public,” Dulo said.

He noted that access to information is a critical component of access to justice, as it enables citizens to engage meaningfully with public institutions.

According to Dulo, the survey will help identify which government offices are more open in providing information to the public.

He added that access to information plays an important role in promoting transparency and accountability, including efforts to address corruption.

Dulo was speaking at KVDA Plaza in Eldoret during the opening of an expanded CAJ regional office that will serve counties in the Western Kenya region. He was accompanied by Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor Evans Kapkea.

He said the Commission on Administrative Justice was established under Article 59 of the Constitution and has a mandate to promote administrative justice, oversee compliance with the principles of fair administrative action, and enforce the right of access to information.

“These constitutional guarantees are not abstract ideals; they are practical rights meant to be enjoyed by every Kenyan in their daily interactions with public institutions,” Dulo said.

He explained that the Eldoret Regional Office was established to support the realization of these rights at the grassroots level, where citizens directly experience the impact of government decisions and actions.

The office was opened on September 1, 2015, and has served as an access point for members of the public seeking redress over cases of maladministration.

Over the years, Dulo said, the office has become an important part of the administrative justice framework in the North Rift region.

He noted that the office has handled more than 3,000 complaints received through walk-ins, referrals, and outreach activities.

“Each complaint represents a citizen seeking fairness, dignity, and accountability, and the office has continued to respond to this demand within its mandate,” he said.

According to CAJ records, the Eldoret Regional Office has received a total of 3,235 complaints since its establishment.

Of these, 2,394 were admitted for consideration, while 871 were found to be outside the Commission’s mandate or were referred to other relevant institutions.

Dulo said the office has recorded a resolution rate of 94 per cent for admissible complaints.

He added that most of the complaints relate to maladministration, including delays in service delivery, unresponsive official conduct, abuse of power, and failure to implement lawful decisions.