Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i on Friday issued a 60-day ultimatum for all foreigners working in Kenya to regularise their permits.
Speaking during a meeting with the Parliamentary Security Committee in Mombasa, the CS noted that unemployment levels in the country are high since jobs have been taken by foreigners.
“We have not cleaned up our systems on Immigration. Our official records show there are 34,000 foreigners working in Kenya. You and I know that is not true, the real figure is there are probably over 100,000. Means there are people doing jobs that Kenyans can do, coming through the back door,” Matiang'i noted.
[caption caption="File image of Interior CS Fred Matiang'i"]
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Matiang'i added: "Unemployment levels in the country are an all-time high and Kenyans need to be cushioned from those who take jobs that they can do themselves.
"Give me one reason why we need to give a permit to someone coming to be an accountant in Kenya or in the case of civil society, why to give a permit to a programme officer with the number of graduates who have masters degrees,” exclaimed Matiang'i.
The former Education CS also revealed that the Government will consolidate all identification documents into one to reduce the inconvenience of having to carry many cards.
According to the CS, the single card will bear all personal data such as ID and driving licence number as well as information from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF).
Matiang'i further stated that the government will in the next 60 days issue electronic work permit cards with special consideration being given to missionary doctors and foreign professors hired in local universities.
"We are going to tighten the process of work permits. We want to clean this once and for all and have a digital register that can be searched any time on who is supposed to be in Kenya,” the Cabinet Secretary announced.
Matiang'i assertively noted that after the 60 day period, police will be mandated to arrest and deport anyone who is in Kenya illegally.
[caption caption="File image of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Interior CS Fred Matiang'i"]
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