Court suspends new charges for passports, ID issuance
The High Court has issued orders stopping the implementation of the new charges for ID card and passport issuance that were gazetted three days ago.
Justice Lawrence Mugambi of the High Court in Nairobi gave the orders following a petition by Nakuru-based surgeon Magare Gikenyi.
Gikenyi had sought the court’s relief after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki announced that the issuance of ID cards would no longer be free.
Those applying for the first time will pay Sh1000 while Kenyans seeking a replacement for lost cards had their charges increase by 20 percent to Sh2000.
Gikenyi in his petition said the charges were capricious and out of reach of many Kenyans.
He urged the court to certify the matter as urgent and issue conservatory orders stopping the implementation of the new charges.
“A conservatory order be and is hereby issued suspending Gazette Notices No. 15239-15249 dated November 6, 2023, and any other document purporting to give authority to increase or review the charges/fees/levies specified therein pending the hearing and determination of the application inter-partes, ” the order said.
Gikenyi has sued Cabinet Secretaries Njuguna Ndungu (Treasury) and Kithure Kindiki (Interior), the National Assembly, and the Attorney General.
The court directed that they be served within three days.
The matter was certified as urgent with mention set for November 29 for further directions.
Court suspends new charges for passports, ID issuance