The decision by the Immigration Department to further decentralise passport processing points by next year is a laudable move that needs support.

It is a timely move and the loudest statement of intention so far that Kenya is ready to clear all the bureaucracies that could curtail free movement in an otherwise borderless region.

For starters, the department this month announced a plan to elevate its Eldoret, Embu and Nakuru offices to start issuing passports by next year.

This means by the time the East Africa region rolls out its common market in July next year, Kenyans and other regional citizens will have a total of seven points for processing their travel documents.

The new offices are expected to significantly reduce current pressure on the current passport issuing offices in Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa and Garissa.

But as that happens we must be vigilant on those who may want to abuse the travel document.

For years, some foreigners were able to acquire passports with little scrutiny.

In this age of global terror threats, the opening of such offices should not mean that we drop our guard.

Rather, we should be extra cautious on the identity of persons who get the documents.

We say that because security of a people should never be compromised.

We know that Kenyans, and especially the business community are excited about the integration project.

We also know that the immigration department is bedeck with inefficiencies, a hurdle that should be removed as we enter into the common market age.

That's why we take this early opportunity to state that the government must move fast to buttress its lofty ideals with action before the region's citizens start streaming in droves in search of well paying jobs.

We also hold that opening more passport issuing points will never be the panacea unless the government complements it by recruiting more personnel to handle increased demand for travel documents.

Since the region started implementing its customs union more than four years ago, only Nairobi - the immigration ministry's headquarters can be said to have significantly improved its passport processing capacity.

Operations at the three other issuing points have remained low-keyed due to staffing challenges, something that has forced most people to travel to Nairobi in search of the same documents.

If this idea is to be implemented, the department must initiate the process and press the Public Service Commission to recruit enough manpower ahead of the common market implementation.

And since the common market protocol also obligates the department to validate immigration documents for citizens of other member countries, computerising the department's information system and linking all the seven issuing points to all national immigration records can go a long way in solving clearing the anticipated backlog.