Barely hours after the State Department announced a system failure affecting the normal passport application receiving and collection services, the government has announced plans to issue 49,500 passports within a span of 14 days, starting from May 10, 2024.
This initiative, spearheaded by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, aims to address a 724,000-passport backlog, providing relief to countless applicants who are awaiting their travel documents.
According to Kindiki, the Ministry has faced criticism for the sluggish issuance of passports in the past. He stated, “We want the passports delivered and collected in 14 days.”
Of the 49,500 passports slated for issuance, a significant portion will cater to residents in various regions across the country. Nairobi County leads with 27,000 passports, followed by Embu with 4,500, Nakuru with 4,200, and Mombasa, Eldoret, Kisumu, Kisii, and Kericho each receiving allocations ranging from 3,000 to 400 passports.
The announcement comes on the heels of a temporary halt in passport application and collection services earlier on Tuesday morning. The State Department cited a system failure as the cause, assuring the public that efforts were underway to rectify the issue promptly.
“We regret to inform our clients that we are currently experiencing a downtime that has affected our normal passport application receiving and collection services,” a statement from the State Department read in part.
In addition to addressing the immediate backlog, the government has set ambitious targets for passport and digital identity card issuance. With the acquisition of two new passport printing machines in April, the government aims to issue at least one million passports and three million digital national identity cards by the end of 2024.
During the announcement of the acquisition of the new machines, Prof Julius Bitok, the Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services, highlighted that the increased production would not only streamline services but also contribute to revenue generation through the e-Citizen platform.
Over the past three years, applicants have faced numerous challenges, including underfunding, shortages of passport booklets, equipment breakdowns, corruption, and poor public relations. Kindiki assured the public that measures were in place to address these issues and sustain reforms in the long run.
“We believe there are realistic targets based on the strategic improvements and investments that we have made to our vital personal registration and documentation systems,” remarked Prof Bitok.
The deployment of new high-capacity printers is expected to significantly reduce waiting times for passport issuance to less than 14 working days, marking a significant improvement in service delivery.
Ps Bitok affirmed the government's determination to eradicate delays, citing adequate resource allocation as a key factor in achieving this goal.
