PIC NW Complaint Management Officers acquire international mediation competences, earn professional mediators’ certificatio
Four Complaint Management Officers of the Office of the Public Independent Conciliator NW participated in a professional mediation training in Nairobi, Kenya from 15th to 19th June 2026. This training was organized by the Mediation Training Institute – East Africa (MTI) in collaboration with the Law Society of Kenya.
Objectives of the workshop were to;
• Strengthen institutional capacity in Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR),
• Acquire internationally recognized mediation knowledge and skills,
• Develop competence in managing complex, disputes using structured mediation,
• Enhance communication, negotiation and emotional intelligence,
• Improve ethical standards and professional practice, and
• Explore how mediation can complement the Office’s existing conciliatory mandate.
The mission provided an opportunity to acquire internationally recognized mediation competencies and exchange experiences with judges, advocates, civil society practitioners and professional mediators from across East Africa from Kenya, Uganda and Djibouti.
The training brought together judges, advocates, mediators, civil society practitioners and complaint management professionals.
The Office of the Public Independent Conciliator was represented by:
• Fongwa Kesten Ngum, Complaint Management Officer no. 1
• Dimla Hanson Tamfu, Complaint Management Officer no. 2
• Mbah Blaise Ndam, Complaint Management Officer no. 3 and
• Juli Yauba Bobo, Complaint Management Officer no. 4.
Major areas covered during the training were:
• Foundations of Professional Mediation,
• Types of Mediation
• The Professional Mediation Process
• Core Competencies of the Mediator
• Emotional Intelligence, and
• Practical Simulations.
The training concluded with practical competency assessments and a written examination to be completed after the training as part of the certification process. Generally, participants gathered from the training that;
– Mediation is a structured process requiring discipline rather than persuasion,
– Successful mediators focus on interests instead of positions,
– Emotional intelligence is as important as legal knowledge,
– Confidentiality and neutrality are fundamental to public confidence,
– Well-drafted agreements significantly improve compliance, and
– Continuous professional development is necessary for maintaining mediation competence.
Some of the recommendations from the workshop included:
•Developing Standard Operating Procedures integrating mediation into complaint management to cover confidentiality protocols and referral pathways.
•Organizing internal capacity-building sessions for all staff dealing with complaint treatment.
•Facilitating participation in the International Mediation Conference scheduled to hold from 29th October to 1st of November 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya. Participants are required to carry out a 3-months refresher course which will end with their participation in this conference. This conference shall serve as an avenue for benchmarking and networking.
•Seek institutional accreditation with the International Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators.
The Professional Mediation Training successfully strengthened the knowledge, practical skills and professional competencies of the Complaint Management Officers. Beyond certification, the programme equipped participants with internationally accepted mediation standards that will significantly enhance the Office’s capacity to resolve disputes efficiently, fairly and peacefully. The knowledge acquired provides a strong foundation for effectively integrating mediation into the Office’s existing conciliatory framework while contributing to improved access to justice, institutional credibility and sustainable conflict resolution within the North West Region.