A section of Kenyans in the diaspora have raised concerns over poor services offered by Kenyan embassies abroad.
Kenya Development Associates Germany (KDAG) Secretary Mickie Ojijo claims that embassy officials have been soliciting bribes from Kenyans abroad in exchange for crucial immigration services such as renewal and replacement of passports.
Ojijo further says that Kenyans who apply for new passports are forced to wait for several months to get the travel documents unless they offer bribes.
“Despite the official timeline of six weeks, passport renewal or replacement can take years without a bribe. When the documents eventually reach the embassy retrieving them from there is another gruesome struggle,” he says in a statement.
Ojijo says this has not only cost many Kenyans abroad jobs but also caused them trouble with immigration authorities.
“They have structured a systematic deliberate delay which is applied with great finesse that can drag on for over three years. This has ruined careers of many, left others jobless or Stateless. Tribulations begin when a passport is due for renewal, replacement or applying for voluntary renunciation letter,” he notes.
He also questions why there are only three centers in Europe where Kenyans can apply for e-passports ahead of 2020 deadline.
“For the argument sake, the nearest embassy for Kenyans living in Greece is in Berlin 2,344kms away. The two-day journey requires a total of six transit visas for Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Slovenia,” Ojijo laments.
Kenyan Embassies are indeed…
Kenyan Embassies are indeed the worst world wide yet they demand the highest passport renewal/replacement fees particularly for diasporas. I still don’t understand why they are forcing us to have a national ID card, yet a passport in itself is a legitimate form of identification in all countries. Why must we have a so called “sponsor” with a Kenyan” ID for passport renewals? This gamut of idiocy must stop because not only are the new policies unrealistic but definitely a way for Kenyan govt to rob us some cash/make money and give them to MPIGz.
It’s not the Government per…
It’s not the Government per se; It’s the Corrupt officials?waiting to Pounce on your money.
It’s mind boggling to think…
It’s mind boggling to think how an application for a document can take up to three years. In fact I would rather pay extra fees for expedition than wait three years for a document with one excuse after another and no explanation. I applied for my dual citizenship some three years ago and still waiting. The latest en-query was last week. Somebody was supposed to call me back. of cause they never called.
This has been happening in…
This has been happening in the Embassy in Washington, DC for a long time whereby they ask for mandatory bribes calling it Id fees or travel expenses. Anything you add on top of what is required by the law is a bribe.
In Washington DC? Then…
In Washington DC? Then Githae?must be a Counduit to the Mess.
Better to use the evisa…
Better to use the evisa service to apply for a visa. There’s a Consulate in Athens. Kenya might not afford a full fledged embassy in every country.
I applied for my National ID…
I applied for my National ID in April 2016. This was done at the Washington Embassy in US. That was the easy part. I waited for two months and got nothing. After more than 50 phone calls and emails of which more than 40 went to answering machine and two years later, I was told the forms were never send to NRB. How and why? No answer. We started the process again with extra document. That was it again until this year. Finally the ID was send to Wsh Embassy but it was no where to be found. The folks in NRB were sure it was mailed . Turns out the ID was send to California and parked there . Two years and 8 months later! Now that is service our Embassies can be proud of.
The folks never make any follow-ups if there a missing doc. They are not in a hurry to do their work. You know it as soon as your call is picked by the operator(admin); it’s transferred to this “Avaya answering service” and no phone calls are returned .Amazing
I used to hear that “Mbeca…
I used to hear that “Mbeca speaks”. Now I see?. Without it, nobody hears; and nothing moves; and if does: not as Fast.
Mwanamke wa asili ya…
Mwanamke wa asili ya Kijapani anasema Kiswahili na Kiluo na huku ndugu na dada zangu Wakenya wamelewa na kusema na kuandika kwa lugha ya kiutumwa ya Kiingereza.
https://youtu.be/g_iCOWugFMw
Ningependa kujua, Je, tutakata minyororo ya kusema kiingereza wakati wowote lini?
Mwacha (s/he who abandons) lugha, imani, na mila yake ni mtumwa milele na milele.
Kenyan official documents…
Kenyan official documents are quite difficult to get. I became U.S. citizen and applied for passport at a U.S. post office. I got my passport by mail in less than 3 weeks. Easy! It’s awkward to get a visa now to go to Kenya, but I get a visa the same day I apply at the consulate. And even if I apply an electronic visa, it takes 3 to 4 weeks. But I like to apply for visa while in U.S. – no bribery at all. I am happy entering and exiting Kenya as a foreigner. It is easier that way. Sorry.
My patriotism has been…
My patriotism has been tested for the past 6 months. I spoke to someone at the DC office and he switched to speaking in Kikuyu just because of my name. But do not despair, the genius that I am, I recorded the conversation. As a result of this, because my employer cannot understand why my passport is taking more than half a year, I will ensure that he learns that this girl is not removing a bribe and will still get her passport.