Kindiki Vows 24-Hour Deadline For Urgent Passports, Threatens Immigration Overhaul

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Wednesday, May 31 assured Kenyans seeking passports urgently that they would get them in a span of 24 hours.

While addressing the press from his Harambee House office, Kindiki vowed that his Ministry would commit to conclusively dealing with the huge backlog of passports within three weeks.

It is after that period that the process, according to the CS, will be faster than anticipated, with Kenyans applying for the crucial document to get them within one week after application.

An image of a Kenyan passport. /BIOMETRIC UPDATE.COM

"I want to pledge on behalf of my colleagues in the ministry that we will clear all the backlog of passports within the next 21 days and from that date, we will make sure that anybody who applies for a new passport must get it within 7 days.

"If it is classified as an urgent or emergency application, one must get that passport within 24 hours," he promised.

Further, the CS appealed for calm from Kenyans in addressing the failed equipment contributing to the delay in 42,000 applicants awaiting to receive their passports.

"We have a huge backlog of passport applicants, approximately 42,000 some of whom have waited for several months. I plead for patience and within 7 days, we will restore the broken equipment.

"We already have stocks that arrived on Friday (June 2) which can help us clear the backlog and also help us with the normal ongoing applications," he added.

Kindiki also threatened to turn the Department of Immigration upside down by eliminating the vice of people asking for bribes from innocent Kenyans to get passports for travel outside the country.

To make do with his threat which he noted would target the internal affairs of his ministry, he committed to supervising the looming purge himself.

"We will make far-reaching administrative changes within the Department of Immigration and make sure that we make it impossible for any person to ask for a bribe from a Kenyan to provide passport services.

"Any person within our offices who is giving the government a bad name, we will just treat you as a criminal. In my many responsibilities, I am going to supervise that exercise myself," he committed.

The Ministry of Interior's Department of Immigration unveiled a hotline Kenyans can make use of if they want passports urgently. 

Citizens who require urgent passport processing can now reach the government through the mobile number +254 796347902. Alternatively, they can reach the government through the hotlines at +254 110922064 or +254 110923423.

“The Directorate of Immigration Services wishes to express its commitment to serve Kenyans. In fulfilment of this mandate, we remain open to facilitating urgent passport processing.

"Therefore for urgent passport processing, kindly contact the Immigration department and provide documents showing proof of urgency,” the statement on Thursday, May 25 read in part. 

However, the department was met with heated responses from Kenyans, some of whom lamented the lack of response after they tried to contact the numbers.