Kenyan medical doctor, Elizabeth Amakove Wala, has gone viral over her letter to the incoming US ambassador to Kenyan Meg Whitman.
On Saturday, July 16, Wala, who pursued a Master’s degree in infectious diseases at the University of London, explained that she was disappointed over the extended delay in Visa applications by the US Embassy in Nairobi.
Wala narrated that her daughter was frustrated after her visa appointment was set for May 2024. She complained that the girl qualified to attend the World Scholar's Cup in the US, scheduled for November this year.
Her open letter attracted over 2000 engagements on Twitter.
Her daughter, she added, was the only student who qualified from her institution thus highlighting how crucial the tourney was.
"She obtained all the credentials as demanded by the US Embassy but failed to receive a Visa appointment for the interview on time. My daughter is scheduled to participate in the grand finale called the Theatre of Champions in Yale, USA. She had put so much effort into this competition.
"When we came back, I immediately embarked on a journey to start the visa process. I needed an invitation letter from Global Scholar's Cup which was sent immediately," her letter read in part.
Wala wrote that she paid Ksh38,400 as a visa processing fee.
She asked Whitman to address the issue of visa approval in the country affecting most Kenyans. Wala proposed an overhaul of the whole system.
"All I am asking for is a change in the system to get people to pay when they are due for the appointment and refund the application fee to people like us who give up when given a 2-year date."
"I hope this letter gets to you. I know many other Kenyans whose plans have been scattered because of these delays and suffering silently. I don't suffer in silence," she stated.
Her complaint came days after Africa's fastest man, Ferdinand Omanyala, encountered hitches in his visa, delaying him from participating in the World Championships in the US.
His Visa was, however, approved following President Uhuru Kenyatta's intervention.
