Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Wednesday, May 31, announced that Kenyans with emergencies would get passports processed within 24 hours.
While addressing the media from Harambee House in Nairobi County, Kindiki detailed that the 24-hour timeline would apply to those with medical and education emergencies.
The CS noted that the timeline would be enforced from the last week of June 2023 after the Department of Immigration clears the current backlog.
On the other hand, he maintained that other applicants would get their travel documents within seven days from the date of application.
"We will clear the backlog in 21 days and from that day, we will make sure that anybody that applies for a new passport must get it within seven days and if it is classified as an emergency situation, the person must get it within 24 hours," he assured.
The CS explained the changes would help the government address concerns of passport applicants who had waited for months to get the documentation.
He divulged that the backlog of 42,000 passports had been occasioned by the breakdown of the printer used to customise the travel documents.
Kindiki added that they were working to address the delays in the next seven days.
In ensuring the smooth operation of the exercise, the CS revealed that he would personally oversee the process to ensure the timelines are implemented.
"We have 42,000 applicants, some of who have waited for six months. I plead for patience. Within seven days, we will restore the broken equipment. We have in excess of 60,000 booklets that will help us clear the backlog," he added.
Further, he announced that they would take administrative changes in the department following complaints by Kenyans over the demand for bribes by the department's officers.
The CS added that he had sent some of his staff on a fact-finding mission in the department even as they uncovered the unprofessional misconduct of some of the officers.
