Commission on Administrative Justice, the successor to the Public Complaints Standing Committee, occupies a special place in the hearts of Kenyans.
It is the first port of call for those who have suffered one or other form of maladministration by State officers.
It is also a full commission as outlined by Chapter 15 of the new Constitution.
One of the biggest ills the CAJ hopes to cure is maladministration arising from corrupt practices in Government.
This involves investigating cases of abuse of power, unfair treatment, injustice, illegal acts, oppression and unfair or unresponsive official conduct within the public sector.
Allegations of maladministration abound within the civil service, as do administrative injustice, discourtesy, incompetence, misbehavior, and ineptitude.
Good faith
Its officers are insulated against liability or claim for any action done in good faith while executing their duties.
The law confers on the CAJ powers to summon individuals, regardless of rank, use all lawful means to obtain the information it needs, and use court warrants to access any land or premises to obtain the same, inspect property or make copies of relevant documents.
The commission is empowered to investigate complaints on its own initiative or those brought to it with regard to State corporations, public officers, other bodies, and agencies of the State.
As one would expect, therefore, the hands of the CAJ officers are generally full, but their role is critical, especially today when the Civil Service is yet to fully align itself with the Constitution with regard to matters like ensuring fairness and balance in recruitment of staff and promotions to reflect the face of Kenya.
When Kenyans passed a new Constitution, many hoped that those who run the Civil Service would in the new spirit of equity change their way of doing things.
Unfortunately, because of the inherent ethnicity and nepotism still rife in Government, many of the CEOs, permanent secretaries, and other chief officers are yet to change, taking a cue from their bosses.
They need to take note because times are changing and as the new laws gain teeth, it will become harder for them to continue breaking the rules wilfully and with as much abandon as they currently do.
It is also imperative that all civil servants familiarise themselves with The Commission on Administrative Justice Act 2011 to understand that the days when their bosses would trample on their rights is long gone.
One of the areas where maladministration is rife is in recruitment of personnel. To date many of the parastatals and departments in the Civil Service are overseen by boards that use them like personal briefcases.
When vacancies arise, they hold mock interviews, but unknown to the candidates the selection has been decided behind closed doors with money and other favours exchanging hands.
The sum effect of this is that many qualified youth cannot find employment in Government adding to their frustration.
By extension such practices have seeped into the private sector which is supposed to set the standards when it comes to recruitment.
One way of curing this is to have professional boards that do not have vested interests. We are not saying that applying for jobs in the Civil Service is a waste of time, but more often than not those hired are not the best qualified and in many cases the evaluation process is a total sham.
It will take time for Kenyans to appreciate the value of the work the CAJ is doing, but the commission is already making waves within Government with its professionalism and commitment.
Ministers, permanent secretaries, and CEOs of various parastatals must change the way they do business.
