Nairobi — Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki now says passport backlog reported at 42,000 on May 31 may have been understated.
Kindiki said Tuesday when he provided an update on the status of passport issuance in the country that a further audit of the system estimated the backlog to be approximately 120,000 applications.
Kindiki attributed the backlog to a combination of factors, including the lack of adequate resources and the presence of corrupt elements within the Immigration department.
He also mentioned that the repair of the passport printer took longer than expected due to government procedures, exacerbating the situation.
"The historical backlog which was accumulated over many years at the time was approaching 100,000 little did we expect that the backlog would escalate 120,000 in the initial weeks of the promise," he said.
However, he reassured the public that the backlog has been successfully resolved, and the government is actively working to improve services at the Immigration Department.
The Interior CS further disclosed that the number of uncollected passports stood 87,574.
Speaking when he unveiled a Rapid Results Initiative, Kindiki said the uncollected travel documents were printed over a span of three years.
He added that the government had resolved to declare uncollected passports invalid once applicants fail to pick them on schedule.
Publication of names
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Kindiki said that the government will invoke Section 5 of the Disposal of Uncollected Goods Act, and Section 31 of the Citizenship and Immigration Act in disposing off documents of those who fail to collect them within the set-out time frame.
"All applicants whose passports are ready must collect them. Those who will not collect their passports as scheduled, after the expiry of the notice, we will treat the uncollected documents as uncollected goods and therefore we will withdraw and dispose off the documents at the expiry of the requite notice period," he said.
He added that those who fail to collect the passports will have to re-apply again and pay penalties to get new documents.
Kindiki said the RRI which will commence on September 25 is aimed at ensuring all the passports are collected from the immigration offices across the country.
"The passports must be collected within 30 days commencing 25th of September 2023," he said.
Out of the uncollected copies, 36,170 passports were reported to be at Nyayo House, 10,409 in Embu, 9,938 in Eldoret, 9,515 in Kisumu, 8,023 in Nakuru, 7,971 in Kisii and 5,424 in Mombasa.
He added that the Ministry will publish details of those who are required to collect their passports every Wednesday in the mass media and its official websites.
Kindiki said that the government is well on course to resolve the passport printing backlog adding the Immigration Department will continue with the ongoing night and day printing until they acquire more equipment to speed up the process.
Kindiki said the Immigration Department will continue processing emergency applications within 24 hours.
