T HE O MB u DSMAN

The Constitution provides for an Ombudsman who is an officer of the Parliament and who is required to hold no other office of emolument nor engage in any occupation for reward other than the duties of his office. The Ombudsman is appointed by the President after consultation with the Prime minister and the Leader of the Opposition and shall hold office for a term not exceeding five years and is eligible for reappointment.

The principal function of the ombudsman is to investigate complaints of administrative injustice in respect to decisions made or acts done or omitted by a minister or department or authority of government. The ombudsman can best be described as a “grievance person” to whom a citizen can make a complaint with a view to redressing the mistakes, delays, rigidity and carelessness of the government bureaucracy. The role of the ombudsman is an advisory one and the findings of investigations made are recommendations submitted in reports by him to relevant persons, authorities or to Parliament.

The ombudsman is responsible only to Parliament, to which he makes annual reports on the performance of his functions including statistics of the complaints received and the results of his investigations. The office is non-political.