Malawi Ombudsman affected by erratic financial resources

The office of the Ombudsman has cried foul over erratic financial resources which is said to be affecting its principle functions hence yielding reduced output, Principal Investigations Officer (PIO) Arthur Semba has disclosed.

The Ombudsman office was established by an Act of Parliament twenty years ago to help on among other key issues settling unfair labour related cases in the public service.

Semba who doubles as Public Relations Officer (PRO) said the office needs enough financial support if its objectives were to be realized.

“We must admit that unreliable financial resources are negatively affecting our operations. Since its establishment in 1996, the body only operates in four offices of the four regions. This makes Ombudsman inaccessible to many victims,” he said.

However, Semba appealed to Malawians to use the only available structures to seek redress when injustices are believed to have affected them in any way.

He further said that investigations stall for some time due to financial challenges a development he said has since registered rebuke from the infringed parties.

“It’s unfortunate that sometimes delays have borne us doubts by our clients on how we discharge our duties. This erodes trust and confidence in the concerned individual more especially when their cases were technically appealing for a quicker determination from the Ombudsman,” Semba expressed.

According to the PRO, masses of people at the grassroots do not know the office of the Ombudsman and its core values due to lack of connection and publicity with the locals in the country.

“Currently, we have resorted to involving the National Initiative for Civic Education (NICE) to complement us on several areas as they are well established. This will help us inform the locals of our presence and the assistance they can get,” articulated Semba.

He continued, “Ombudsman has now initiated ‘systematic approach’ where we will no longer wait for cases to find us, but carry out investigations on our own to make things move.”

Semba observed that the populace knowledge on the objectives of the office of the Ombudsman will help in curbing a lot of injustices currently taking place in public and private labour sector saying, “People need natural justice.”

According to the Ombudsman office, unfair dismissals, unfair treatments and punishments in the labour industry toll the highest cases registered at their offices, signifying violation of human rights at work places.

The office of the Ombudsman has its offices in the north in Mzuzu in Mpico House, St. Martins House in Lilongwe in the centre, Balaka in the east and Blantyre in Khanaba House for those in the south

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