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The Senate has commenced investigations into what they termed as ‘massive graft and backlog of passport applications’ at the Directorate of Immigration Services.

This is after the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ), also known as the Ombudsman, in a report released early this month, revealed several injustices and malpractices, including overcharging of applicants at the Department within the Ministry of Interior and National Coordination.

The report, released by CAJ Chairperson Florence Kajuju, revealed that Kenyans are overcharged for passports with fewer pages than they applied.

Report added that the perennial backlog is largely caused by delayed approval of procurement of printing booklets and breakdown of printing machines.

“Many Kenyans lost their money when they falsely paid more money while applying for passports through the eCitizen platform,” Kajuju said.

“You cannot say that you do not require policy guidelines, yet you are setting up a system that then there are emerging challenges like refund mechanism,” she added.

Senate Speaker Amason Kingi has directed the National Security, Defence and Foreign Relations Committee to dig into the menace after Nominated Senator Hamida Kibwana expressed concerns over complaints by Kenyans seeking services at the department.

Kibwana, while seeking a statement on the floor of the House, wants the committee to lay bare challenges in passport issuance and claims of corruption in the Directorate, particularly the passport section.

Long-term measures

“The committee should outline measures being implemented to combat alleged instances of corruption within the Directorate of Immigration Services,” Kibwana said.

The committee, chaired by Baringo lawmaker William Cheptumo, will particularly establish allegations that only individuals who can afford to bribe officials are issued with passports.

The committee will also explain the immediate and long-term measures the government has put in place to address cases of frequent machine breakdown as well as supply chain challenges for passport production.

It is estimated that about 70,000 applications are pending owing to frequent breakdowns of the machine and lack of printing booklets.

The committee will also be expected to establish the Government’s plans to clear the substantial backlog and expedite the processing of these applications in strict adherence to the stipulated 21-day processing time.

Early last month, Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki disclosed that at least 42,000 passport applications were pending at the time and promised that the backlog would be cleared in 21 days.

“I pledge that the issue will be resolved within three weeks. We have had an unavailability of booklets and a breakdown of the printer.

We will restore the broken equipment within the next seven days,” Kindiki had said as he urged for patience.