Message from the Chief Ombudsman

Her Excellency Chief of the Institution of the Ombudsman W/r Foziya Amin

The objective of the Ethiopian Institution of the Ombudsman (EIO), provided in its establishment proclamation, is" to see the bringing about good governance that is of high quality, efficient and transparent and is based on the rule of law, by way of ensuring that citizens' rights and benefits provided for by law are respected by organs of the executive."

Over all, while most democratic institutions share the EIO’s objectives. EIO has simpler procedure and less costly alternative mechanism of dispute settlement; also it has the power to receive complaints and probe into citizen’s complaints against executive organs and recommend remedies to the abuses that matter most and that face citizens at the daily basis: rectifying administrative abuses arbitrarily committed against citizen.

It also works to realize its vision where all citizens have access to high quality public service from accountable, transparent and efficient and civil service system. And this would become true with offering successive education, support to executive bodies, resolving maladministration and recommending measures to rectify abuses, which are among EIO's missions.

Its core values of independence, impartiality, equal treatment of all people, accessibility and efficiency, integrity and responsiveness, among others, are sure signs of the Institution's commitment to shoulder its responsibility for the prevalence of good governance in the country.

Many are the reasons that brought the Ethiopian Institution of the Ombudsman in to existence. As stipulated in the preamble on the establishment proclamation, it is "the immense sacrifice paid by the people of Ethiopia, in the protracted struggle they waged with the view to securing political power and to realizing the rule of law, that called for "taking due measures of laying the foundation for good governance, by way of setting up an easily accessible means for the prevention of maladministration abuses arbitrarily committed against citizens."

Another reason is the inseparable nature of the tasks of the executive branch of government with the day today lives of citizens. With the interaction of Ethiopians constantly growing and fast expanding, this phenomenon has made it equally important to duly correct and thwart the unjust decisions and orders of the executive bodies and authorities, to which end the House of Peoples Representatives has issued the Proclamation for the establishment of this Institution.

Needless to mention, it all emanates from the legislature's responsibility to make sure that the executive organs of the government are shouldering out their responsibility as per the law and without violating the constitutional rights of citizens. Thus, EIO is one of the parliamentary watchdog institutions setup to conduct supervision, with the view to ensuring that the executive carries out its function in accordance with the law and to preventing maladministration.

If we pore over EIO's establishment proclamation, we understand that the powers and duties vested in the Institution, through qualified with off limits, are wide range to enable it fulfill its set objective: to supervise and control only the executive organs of government. The acts of power abuse, maladministration and violations of citizens' rights, with which the EIO is concerned, are those prevalent only within the government administration.

The Ethiopian Institution of the Ombudsman supervises the administrative directives, decisions given by executive organs and practices, thereof do not contravene the constitutional rights of citizens and the law as well.

EIO is committed to serve the public by protecting the rights of citizens as enshrined in the Constitution and as per the institutions mandates. The institution, therefore, has started Business Reengineering Process implementation that aims to improve its services more than ever.

EIO's Jurisdiction

The following complaints are within the jurisdiction of the Institution of the Ombudsman

• Compliant concerning decisions made directive enacted measures taken by federal Ministries, Commission, Agencies and Institutions.
• Compliant concerning decisions made directive enacted measures taken by regional executive organs and officials therein
• Compliant concerning decisions made ,directives enacted and measures taken by financial and administrative departments with in the federal as well as regional courts of law ,national defense and security, and federal as well as regional prison centers

The Institution of the Ombudsman has no mandate to oversee the complaints of the following kind

• Cases pending in Federal and Regional state courts of any level
• Complains pertaining to decision given by Federal and Regional Parliament in their legislative capacity
• Complaints pertaining to matters under investigation by the office of the Auditor General
• Complaints regarding decisions given by security forces and units Defense Forces in respect of matters of national security or defence
• Complaints pertaining to non-governmental organizations; religious institutions, private individuals,and foreign sovereign states.

Filing a Complaint

A complaint can be made by writing a letter to the Institution of the Ombudsman or by submitting the complaint here on the Institution's website. A complaint may be made in Amharic or in the workign language of the region. A complaint can be lodged orally or in written form. Besides, a complaint has to include the following:

• Full name and full address of the petitioner
• Full name and address of the respondent
• Original and copy of the power of attorney if the complaint is made on behalf of another
• The conduct or decision the complaint considers unlawful
• Why the complaint considers the conduct or decision unlawful
• Whether the matter is pending before another authority
• What the petitioner wishes the Institution of the Ombudsman to do
• Copies of relevatn decisions and other documents should be attached to the complaint
• Before lodging a complaint to the Institution, the relevant executive organs has to give a final decision on the matter.
• You can download a copy of the complaint submission form here: English (pdf) | Amharic (pdf)