Ruto Given 7-Day Deadline to Fix Passport Crisis
On Friday, June 30, President William Ruto was given a seven-day deadline to resolve the passport crisis that has left many Kenyans stranded.
The Thirdway Alliance, through its Party Leader Ekuru Aukot, has urged Ruto to take immediate action to ensure that the issue is resolved and all pending passport applications are processed and issued within the next week.
In his statement, Aukot noted that many Kenyans had grown weary of the Department of Immigration’s repeated excuses. For several months, the department has cited several causes for the backlog, including a lack of booklets and a malfunctioning immigration printer.
“Mr. President, we are unable to fathom why verifying, approving, and printing a passport in a single day is so difficult. Kenyans are uninterested in the explanations for the lack of passport books or printer malfunctions; they have diligently contributed to the process by paying taxes and passport fees, according to a portion of a statement.
One Kenyan complained of a delay in the issuance of his passport. Despite applying for and paying for the passport in May 2022, he did not receive it until May 2023, a full year later.
Due to the passport crisis, some individuals lamented the loss of economic opportunities, including employment.
In addition, the Head of State was urged to enforce legal timeframes for passport issuance and renewal by enforcing relevant laws and regulations.
In addition, it was strongly suggested that the government automate the system for issuing passports, similar to the successful implementation of the Business Registration Services.
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This, according to Aukot, would ensure that each application receives a prompt response within two hours.
According to the party, progress in the nation’s ICT sector indicated that the crisis was solvable.
Ruto was also urged to implement a streamlined information technology system with an audit trail.
This system would effectively hold officers accountable for any delays, allowing for the imposition of suitable penalties.
To improve accessibility and efficiency, the party also proposed delegating passport issuance to county headquarters.
The Thirdway Alliance also urged President Ruto to eliminate discrimination at the immigration office so that all Kenyans receive their passports on the same day they submit biometric information.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki announced on May 31 that the processing and issuance of passports would take one week moving forward.
He disclosed that the malfunctioning printer had been repaired to facilitate the process and assist the impatient Kenyans who had been waiting months for their passports.
“All new passport applications will be processed within seven business days, and those in urgent need of the document will receive it within 48 hours,” the secretary of state (CS) promised.
Ruto Given 7-Day Deadline to Fix Passport Crisis
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