Many clueless on Ombudsman’s mandate
Batswana have been urged to attend the long-awaited international Ombud Expo 2024 that will be hosted by the Office of the Ombudsman in order to understand its mandate.
Ombudsman, Advocate Stephen Tiroyakgosi believes that many people still do not understand what the office stands for.
Since 1997, the Office has been mandated to investigate issues of maladministration in the public sector. However, from July 2023, its mandate was extended to make it a National Human Rights Institution.
According to Advocate Tiroyakgosi, the International Ombud Expo 2024 scheduled for July 29 to August 2 will bring together over 500 Ombud offices, human rights bodies, grievance handlers, integrity organisations and related oversight and governance institutions from over 100 countries.
Adv. Tiroyakgosi is optimistic that the high level interaction that will attract over 3 500 exhibitors and participants from the six continents of the world will ensure and demonstrate effective oversight and governance by displaying how institutions tackle a wide ranging governance concerns, help reduce corruption, manage conflicts, enhance customer service, drive innovation, defend and promote human rights, as well as boost performance and productivity of governments and organisations.
It will also provide first-hand insight for policy makers, legislators, corporate leaders on the role of the Ombud. The Expo will also discuss issues including; Realising AU Agenda 2063 on Silencing the Guns in Africa; Advancing human rights; Human rights and Artificial intelligence; Ombudsman role in environmental protection; securing compliance with the Ombudsman recommendations; tackling corruption and promoting integrity in governments; Institutionalising sectoral Ombudman and other oversight agencies including in Universities across the world; in banking and finance and others.
The Expo will also include a special celebration of pioneers and first Ombudsman to be appointed into every office in the world.
The inaugural expo that Botswana participated in was held in 2019 in Abuja, Nigeria under the theme, ‘Extending the Ombud Frontiers: Better Governance, Enhanced Performance’. The Office of the Ombudsman in Botswana exhibited its operations there. The then Ombudsman, Augustine Makgonatsotlhe was also one of the lead speakers in the main discussion.
Botswana volunteered to host the 2024 instalment following the International Secretariat in London. And this instalment will take the same format as the inaugural expo, where there was a celebration of Women Ombuds Leaders across the world over the last 250 years.
It is here that outstanding individuals like Justice Florence Mumba - Africa’s first female Ombudsman and General Themba Mantanzima, Africa’s first Military Ombdusman – were showcased.
The hosting of the Expo is expected to significantly contribute to the country’s aspirations of becoming a Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) destination of repute, as envisioned by President Mokgweetsi Masisi.