Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has vowed to deal with cartels at Nyayo House following numerous reports of corruption relating to the processing of passports.
Speaking on Thursday while appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Security, Kindiki attributed delays in passport issuance to massive corruption at the Nyayo House’s Immigration Department.
The CS said rogue employees at the facility make it difficult for Kenyans to access government services adding that the government will investigate the matter and hold those responsible to account.
“We will take very drastic action, if need be we will seal off the place and declare it a scene of crime. We will rid that place of all criminals, including the brokers who extort money around there,” he said.
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Kenyans have been raising concerns about delays in acquiring passports, with others being turned away without a reason.
Some of the MPs also lamented the issue, noting that Kenyans are being forced to pay as high as Sh10,000 to get their passports processed faster.
“We will clean Nyayo House from corruption, from all manner of crimes. There are good officers there serving Kenyans patriotically, but they are few. That is the problem.”
“There are others there collecting bribes and harassing the people of Kenya to get services which they should be getting for free and as their rights,” he added.
The CS said the passport backlog currently stands at 58,000, with the Department of Immigration and Citizen Services processing approximately 5,000 passports daily.
He stated that plans are in the works to issue passports in 7 days and that in the future, the issuance time will be reduced to 3 days and 24 hours in the event of an emergency.
