Passport Headache Back At Nyayo House Months After CS Kindiki's Radical Changes

• Kenyans awaiting their passports forced to wait long after the passport printing equipment experienced yet another breakdown
• The department resorted to attending to applicants seeking medical attention abroad, leaving others in limbo
• The problems came barely three months after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki informed the public of the government's plan to procure new equipment

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Kenyans seeking passports may be forced to wait longer as the Immigration Department faces another delay in passport processing.

This comes three months after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said the government would procure new machines to expedite the process and solve the mess that had lasted for years.

Why is there delay in passport issuance?

Citizen TV reports that the delay is due to malfunctioning printing machines and a shortage of printing materials.

In March, a source from Nyayo House informed TUKO.co.ke that the delays in procuring the printing machine resulted from the Treasury's lag in relaying funds for the equipment.

The machine in question was being used to print 50- and 66-page passports. Due to the challenges, over 300,000 applicants remained unsettled within the stipulated time.

As per the immigration data, the department had been printing about 1,500 passports daily, which is way below the demands of Kenyans travelling abroad for education, medical attention, leisure, or greener pastures.

Emergency passport applications to be served first

According to sources, applicants seeking to travel for education and visits are to endure prolonged pain as the department resorted to prioritising those with medical emergencies.

“I applied for my passport in June for my scholarship abroad, and every time I check, I’m told it's in process,” lamented Patricia Wanja.

In September of this year, Kindiki informed the public that Kenyans would be treated equally and urgently according to the reasons behind their travels.

"Emergency applications for persons seeking medical care abroad, students due for admission in learning institutions outside Kenya, and people who have secured job opportunities that have a clear reporting deadline will be processed expeditiously," the CS said.