Ombudsman to tackle graft at Immigration, Road Traffic
Ombudsman Grace Malera has disclosed plans to establish ombudsman offices at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services and Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services, similar to the existing hospital ombudsman system.
She observed that Malawians face numerous challenges at the two offices, adding that documenting complaints could improve service delivery.

Malera made the remarks yesterday in Lilongwe at the rule of law meeting hosted by the Chandler Foundation in collaboration with the World Justice Project (WJP).
She said: “We need to identify the causes of delays at Immigration, uncover who is behind bribes and determine how long people are waiting before being issued a passport.”
In an interview yesterday, governance expert Charles Kajoloweka said that while the proposal seems plausible, it shows the failure of public institutions to curb corruption and inefficiencies in public service provision.
Kajoloweka, who is also the executive director of Youth and Society, suggested that reforms should be instituted within the institutions rather than relying on the already resource-strained office of the Ombudsman.
“These institutions are required to establish institutional integrity committees to eradicate internal malpractices. While external intervention may be plausible in the short-term, it is not sustainable in the long run.
“We need to insist on internal institutional reforms to enhance service delivery and curb malpractices, “said Kajoloweka.
Speaking during the opening of the meeting, Minister of Justice Titus Mvalo stressed the importance of governance, accountability and access to justice for the country to transform into an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation.
He pointed out that the principles are crucial enablers for achieving the three pillars of Malawi 2063, namely agricultural productivity and commercialisation, industrialisation, and sustainable urbanisation.
“We need to address delays in the delivery of justice, complaints handling and control of government powers because, in the rule of law, we need to do things according to the law,” said Mvalo.
Malawi is currently the second-best performing country among low-income nations in terms of the rule of law.
WJP regional director for Asia Pacific, Srirak Plipat said that the country has not performed well in some areas of the assessment, such as constraints on government powers, criminal justice and regulatory enforcement.