An ombudsman is a person who acts as a trusted intermediary between an organisation and the public and represents public interest. ‘Ombudsman is derived from a Swedish word meaning ‘agent’.

The ombudsman investigates public complaints against Government or other agencies and attempts to resolve them through recommendation or mediation. An ombudsman need not be appointed by Parliament, but by Government as is the case in Kenya.

Making a complaint to the ombudsman is free of charge.