Nairobi lead in number of uncollected passports
Interior Cabinet Secretary has fingered Nairobi as the region with the highest number of uncollected passports.
The Interior CS, who has in the recent past been on a mission to improve service delivery at the immigration department, says 15,400 passports are ready for collection at the Nyayo House-based headquarters within Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD).
He also confirmed that 22, 253 have since been collected at various immigration offices in the country.
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The CS has launched a Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) which is fully aimed at ensuring Kenyans receive their passports in good time as soon as they apply.
Mombasa County is meanwhile ranked second in the list and has 1,166 uncollected passports, Kisumu has 1,602 whilst Eldoret has 1,543. Others are Embu 1,088 and Nakuru has 1000 uncollected passports.
“The Government will continue to align our procedures and delivery environment to ensure we bring permanent efficiency in the immigration department and sustain the war against corruption to win back public confidence,” Prof Kindiki said.
In August, Ms Evelyn Chelugut, the acting Director General of Immigration Services, made changes in the department aimed at addressing delays in processing passport that is being experienced in the country.
Addressing immigration officers at Nyayo House, Ms Chelugut introduced day and night shifts which will run throughout the week.
Ms Chelugut said counters will be set aside for emergency cases, day and night shifts will kick off and applications will be received from 7am to 8:30pm.
“We are working hard, the passport section has been working on shifts, we have dedicated counters for urgent cases and all regional heads to boost staff in the urgent counters,” said Ms Chelugut.
Ms Chelugut also announced that the number of staff members will be increased and that some of the officials will have to be sent abroad to work from there.
The changes have been made at a time when Kenyans have been raising concerns that there was a challenge in processing passports.