In an effort to combat corruption within at Ministry of Interior and specifically the Immigration department, Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki announced on Friday a rigorous operation targeting officials allegedly hampering the passport issuance process.
The crackdown, which began in the morning, aims to identify and apprehend corrupt personnel, who will face termination of their employment and legal prosecution. These are the people believed to operate a corruption cartel at Nyayo House, that has reduced passport issuance to the highest bidder.
The crackdown, as detailed in a press statement, is a response to the growing frustrations among Kenyans over prolonged waits for passports, some extending beyond six months.
This move is in direct alignment with efforts to ensure that citizens requiring travel documents for critical needs such as medical travel, education, and leisure are not impeded by corrupt practices.
“Beginning this morning, a crackdown has been commenced to identify all corrupt officials. Those found culpable will be removed from service and held personally accountable by prosecution and surcharged,” Kindiki emphasized, urging for patience from the public as the ministry works to rectify the issue.
Kindiki acknowledged the systemic inefficiencies and delays in passport processing, attributing them to financial indebtedness to suppliers and insufficient investment in essential machinery.
He assured the country that measures are underway to remedy the situation, including the procurement of new passport printers and the settlement of existing debts to improve service delivery and eliminate the backlog.
The Interior CS’s announcement follows recent pronouncements by President William Ruto, who, during a government retreat in Naivasha, where he called for the CS to personally take action to address the delays in passport issuance.
“The prevailing state of affairs is inexcusable, considering that it is the right of every Kenyan to acquire citizenship documents, including travel documents. As the cabinet secretary on whose role issuance of passports falls, I take responsibility for the slow pace of reforms, and the prevailing systemic inefficiencies,” Kindiki statement continued.
He further appealed for a little more patience from Kenyans as he works to resolve the issue.
