Kenya Passport Backlog: Kindiki Meets Immigration Officers at Nyayo House

Senior officials from the Immigration Department met with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Friday to assess the measures implemented to clear the passport backlog.

To keep tabs on the advancements of the immigration team, Kindiki had previously made unanticipated visits to Nyayo House. The Friday encounter involved reviewing the newly introduced reforms regarding operation and policy. Kindiki emphasizes that there is presently a ten-day timeline to clear a historical accumulation of over 40,000 passport requests and handling this will require the outset of day and night shifts. This will involve securing modern printer setups as well as the enlistment of more immigration officers to resolve systematic challenges. Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok and Citizen Services Director General Evelyn Cheluget were also in attendance.

Last week, Kindiki disclosed that there were production issues and also confirmed that the new machine was yet to arrive. He added that processing of good conduct certificates remained a challenge though efforts were underway to fix remaining production issues. Several applicants have touted the improved service delivery in the department. Kenyan John Njui has praised the smooth process he experienced when getting his passport. Rehana Ismail highlights that she received her passport this week after applying for it in January.

The issue of passport backlog was brought up by Kindiki who received a tip on corruption within the institution. He has promised to eliminate the corrupt cartels who are asking for bribes from Kenyans to print their passports. To address the issue, the ministry has implemented measures such as restricting Nyayo House access to staff and citizens.