Interior CS Fred Matiang’i has issued a new directive concerning the issuance of ID cards, passports and birth and death certificates in Nairobi.
Matiang'i on Wednesday, January 15, announced that as from July 1, key documents including national identity cards, passports, birth and death certificates would be processed and issued to applicants on the same day they are formally sought.
The CS made the announcement in Mombasa while addressing a forum attended by security chiefs from across the country where he indicated that the new directive was applicable for services offered in Nairobi.
Making it clear the role his ministry plays, Matiang'i stated that he had been moved by the plight of Kenyans when seeking the necessary documentation.
“Every milestone in the life of each and every citizen in this country from birth, identification, travel and even death, is marked and documented in our ministry. We interact with our citizens at their most vulnerable moments, and the pain and misery I saw them go through last year is unacceptable in Public Service," he was quoted.
This, he stated, necessitated a change in the sector to ensure that Kenyans were handled with dignity and received the services they needed soonest possible.
"Change in our processes, procedures, and attitudes cannot be over-emphasized. By July 1, this year, issuance of ID cards, birth and death certificates, and passports shall be a same-day service, except for applicants originating from outside of Nairobi and abroad,” Matiang’i stated.
He further directed that he had charged the County commissioners with the responsibility to ensure that his directives were followed without fail.
“I shall hold the County Commissioners responsible for, in particular, immigration services, registration of persons and issuance of birth and death certificates in their counties,” he stated.
Matiang'i's sentiments were echoed by Interior PS Karanja Kibicho on his social media pages on Wednesday.
"The pain Kenyans undergo while seeking citizen services must end. County Commissioners are now directed to conduct impromptu checks at service centers, report and take action on shortcomings in the provision of immigration services and issuance of ID cards and birth/death certificates," he stated.
