The government has acknowledged the delays in processing passports at the immigration department, addressing the mounting frustrations among applicants.
Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, in a statement on Thursday, February 15, 2024, pointed out that the crisis stems from delays in the supply of 34-page passport booklets, which are priced at Ksh4,550.
Mwaura attributed the shortage to slow deliveries from the supplier, stating, "The shortage has been caused by slow delivery of the booklets by the supplier."
However, he reassured affected members of the public that measures are in place to ensure a steady supply of the booklets, which are sourced from abroad due to security concerns.
"The documents are usually printed outside the country for security reasons, leaving only the applicant's Bio-data page to be printed locally upon application." He further added, "A consignment of the booklets is on the way and will land in the country soon, and the problem will be a thing of the past," Mwaura explained.
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In the interim, Mwaura advised those with urgent passport needs to apply for the 50-page passports, which are readily available.
This category of passport costs Sh6,050. Despite promises to enhance efficiency in the passport application and processing system, delays in acquiring passports have been recurring.
Last year, Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki pledged to streamline the system, vowing to root out cartels and brokers exploiting Kenyans at Nyayo House.
He also committed to acquiring additional passport printing machines following complaints about faulty printers.
Additionally, Mwaura addressed the backlog of identity card (ID) applications, attributing the delays to a court order suspending the production of the 3rd generation IDs.
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He stated "An appeal has been made on the case," highlighting that approximately 600,000 ID applications are pending at civil registration offices nationwide, with an additional 684,000 IDs remaining uncollected.
Mwaura affirmed the government's commitment to initiating massive ID production once the appeal is granted.