Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, made an unannounced visit to Nyayo House on Monday, where he conducted a productive meeting with senior officials from the Immigration State Department.
The meeting focused on tracking, evaluation, and implementing progressive reforms aimed at enhancing efficiency and rooting out corruption within the department, all while addressing the pressing issue of a passport processing backlog.
During the meeting, CS Kindiki underscored the government’s unwavering commitment to resolving the passport backlog and eliminating corruption as a top priority.
“The government’s unwavering commitment is to sustain the momentum for radical reforms, fostering efficiency, eradicating corruption, and finally clearing the historical backlog in passport processing,” Kindiki affirmed.
Additionally, it was reiterated that the 10-day countdown to clear the passport backlog remains in effect.
As of the previous week, the backlog comprised approximately 58,000 passport applications, with the Department of Immigration and Citizen Services striving to process around 5,000 passports daily.
To expedite the process, officials agreed to maintain double shifts, with operations running from 7 am to 7 pm and from 7 pm to 7 am to optimize passport printing.
Evelyn Cheluget, Director General of Immigration and Citizen Services, was also present at the meeting, further emphasizing the department’s commitment to reform.
Following the meeting, the Interior Cabinet Secretary conducted an on-site assessment of the evolving operational environment aimed at improving service delivery.
The surprise visit demonstrated the government’s dedication to streamlining passport processing and ensuring transparency within the immigration system.
