20 Jun 2024

The Ombudsman will start reporting to Parliament following the review of the 1995 Act which dictated that the report be made to the President.

Addressing Ntlo ya Dikgosi on June 18, Advocate Stephen Tiroyakgosi said the review enabled them to follow international standards of reporting to Parliament and not the executive.

He also informed traditional leaders that they would host an international Ombudsman expo next month which is expected to attract international Ombudsmen, human rights bodies and regulatory agencies such as BOCRA, BERA and PPRA to share experiences and improve service delivery.

He said the theme of the expo was: Creating Trusted Institutions, Writing Injustices and Fostering Quality Governance, adding that the theme emphasised the role of the Ombudsman as an institution that enhanced good governance.

He said the chairperson of Ntlo ya Dikgosi would present a paper at the expo on the kgotla system as an oversight body within the regulatory system.

He clarified that the Ombudsman was neither a judge nor a tribunal, and that he had no authority to issue orders, adding that they were a mediation and arbitrary body.

He noted that the Ombudsman Act was passed in 1995 and operationalised in 1997, adding that he and his deputy were appointed by the President after consultation with the Speaker of the National Assembly and Leader of Opposition.

He noted that the role of the Ombudsman was to protect individuals against the heavy handedness of government. He added that they provided speedy service compared to the courts with a turnaround time of five months.

He also said they offered a fair and objective review of cases and were an oversight and watchdog body as well as providing motility dispute resolutions. 

He added that they strived to promote a sensitive public administration that addressed customer needs as well as promoting and protecting human rights.

He also said they were empowered to enforce compliance with obligations of human rights as set-up by Parliament, noting that the country was party to multiple human rights treaties.

He said the Ombudsman had the right and obligation to take anyone to task for violation of human rights, as well as the power to advise government on human rights issues.

Advocate Tiroyakgosi said there were some human rights violations affecting the LGBTQ community, children and the environment which they needed to address. 

He noted that their procedures were not rigid and that they offered free services, saying their main challenge was that they had only four offices across the country in Gaborone, Francistown, Maun and a satellite in Tsabong. Ends