Sunday, February 5, 2023 – Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has ordered officials at the Immigration Department to speed up the processing of passports.
Kindiki directed that all passports should be processed and duly disbursed to the owners within 21 days.
The Cabinet Secretary also confirmed that his ministry had put in place measures to ensure that the process does not take so long, as was the norm.
“I pledge to carry out my determination on all applications, including appeals, within seven days following receipt of the recommendation of the department,” Kindiki directed.
The Directorate of Immigration Services was particularly ordered to ensure that, “Decisions on all applications for citizenship, permanent residency and work permits are processed quickly.”
He confirmed that the employment of new technologies has considerably made the process for the production of e-passports much easier and more efficient.
The Directorate of Immigration Services is currently working under a new framework that measures individual output while focusing on efficiency.
“We are addressing the delay in the issuance of new Kenyan passports,” stated Professor Kindiki.
“We have received 50,000 34-page booklets with a further 200,000 expected next week, and a similar figure each month for the next six months,” he added.
The Ministry of Interior purchased and installed an advanced Passenger Information System and e-Gates which are being used to speed up the production of identification elements, including passports.
The Kenyan DAILY POST.