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Improving complaints referral mechanisms for greater transparency and accountability

Transparency International

“Most research on complaint management focuses on the corporate sector, and making profit from client feedback. We need to mobilise knowledge on complaint management in terms of citizen feedback and accountability relationships.” — Transparency International

5468

complaints logged with Uwajibikaji Pamoja up to June 2016

83%

of these complaints were submitted by men

Start date
February 2016 End date
March 2017
Period: 14 months

Issue

Wajir, West Pokot and Turkana counties are impoverished, drought-prone areas of Kenya that have often faced marginalisation by government.

There have been very few accountability mechanisms for the delivery of either humanitarian or public services.

Complaint management systems are one way of working towards transparency in service delivery and accountability to citizens.

Project

‘Accountability Together’ – Uwajibikaji Pamoja in Kiswahili – is an automated mobile and web-based complaint referral mechanism. It aims to monitor and improve the quality and accountability of humanitarian aid and public services provided to citizens in Wajir, West Pokot and Turkana.  It also facilitates the referral of complaints from one aid agency or public service provider to another.

This research aims to:

  • look at Uwajibikaji Pamoja’s fist year of operation, gathering evidence on how technology can be used to set up, implement and sustain an effective complaints referral and management system
  • document lessons from similar systems

These findings will highlight the accountability challenges that existing technology-supported complaint management platforms face, and will provide key lessons for players in the humanitarian and public sector. They will also enhance the further development of the Uwajibikaji Pamoja platform and the capacity of citizens to claim their rights and hold service providers accountable during service delivery.

Partner

Transparency International Kenya is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 1999, which has the aim of developing a transparent and corruption-free society through good governance and social justice initiatives. It is one of the autonomous chapters of the global Transparency International movement, which are bound by a common vision of a corruption-free world.

Publications

  • View publication

    Trust, responsiveness and sustainability in complaints systems:…