The Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) has informed the members of the public that good conduct certificates will only be issued on special consideration.
DCI, in a statement released on Friday, admitted that the Principal Criminal Registrar was experiencing a huge backlog dating back to April this year as a result of system downtime.
Despite resolving the technological hitches in September this year, DCI recorded a backlog of over 600,000 police clearance applications against daily applications ranging between 13,000 and 15,000.
In an effort to reduce the delays, only Kenyans who need the certificate for overseas medical treatment, scholarships, and booked flights will be given top priority.
"To ensure such needy cases and all delayed cases are promptly addressed, our officers at the DCI headquarters and Huduma Centres (DCI Desks) countrywide are sorting out and separately packaging such requests before submitting them for urgent processing," DCI reassured in a statement signed by John Marete on behalf of Director General Amin Mohamed
Marete added that the Principal Criminal Registrar took pragmatic steps to deal with the backlog, which included incorporating both automated and manual processing of the applications.
"Further, the Forensic Fingerprint Identification Bureau (FFIB) officers are working round the clock, including on Saturdays and Sundays, to increase the throughput," DCI reassured.
Effects of the new changes were already being felt in the department, with DCI stating that it had so far reduced the pile up from 635,000 to 390,778 applications as of November, 10.
"We regret the inconvenience caused to the applicants and appeal for calm and patience as the Principal Criminal Registrar bids to clear the remaining backlog soonest possible, thereby realizing a two-week wait time by February 2024," DCI pleaded for patience.
In September, Interior CS, Kithure Kinduiki met with DCI boss Mohamed Amin, to discuss the backlog in the issuance and processing of clearance certificates.
Kindiki, who was updated on the measures put in to reduce the backlog, assured the public that the technical staff would address the crisis.
"The department plans to upgrade its operations from the current Automated Palm and Fingerprint Identification System (APFIS) to the Multi-Biometric Identification System (MBIS) for efficient service delivery as a long-term solution to address the delays," Kindiki stated.
