NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 11- Immigration Principal Secretary Julius Bitok has promised efficient processing of passports amid rising frustrations among applicants following a commitment for additional funding.
Bitok said under new instructions by President William Ruto passport applicants will receive their travel documents within a month beginning June 2023.
Speaking on Sunday, Bitok said President Ruto had directed him to work with Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro who chairs the National Assembly Budget and Appropriations Committee in actualizing the goal within three months.
Bitok said President Ruto spoke with Nyoro over the phone to unlock funds intended to speed up passport processing at the main passport office at Nairobi’s Nyayo House.
Passport backlogs have been spiraling at Nyayo House plagued with endemic corruption and alleged cases of sabotage.
“His Excellency the President called me and told me that we need to solve the passport problem. He asked me to look for Ndindi Nyoro whom he had called to furnish me with enough cash,” he said.
“I declare that in partnership with Ndindi Nyoro, the issue of passport printing will be solved, and everyone will get their passports within 1 month after application,” he promised.
He committed to the new timeline days after he announced that 58,330 passports lay at various offices countrywide uncollected.
In a statement issued on March 5, Bitok reported the highest number of uncollected passports is in Nairobi at 24,613.
In Embu, uncollected passports totaled 9,584 passports followed by Kisumu (6,087), Mombasa (5,759), Eldoret (4,538), Nakuru (4,466) and Kisii (3,283).
Bitok said the Immigration Department would process applications on a first-in-first-out basis.