The Directorate of Immigration Services has taken steps to address concerns over extended processing times for passports, while also defending itself against allegations of corruption.

These issues were brought to the forefront by Interior CS Kithure Kindiki during his appearance before the National Assembly's Regional Integration Committee.

Addressing the delays, Kindiki attributed them to corruption within Nyayo House, the headquarters of the Immigration Department.

He emphasized the need for urgent action to tackle the situation, stating, "I will clean up Nyayo House once and for all. We will seal off Nyayo House and name it a scene of crime. How do Kenyans cue from 6 a.m.? It won't be business as usual. We must clean up Nyayo House."

The Immigration department responded to the allegations and concerns through a circular sent to newsrooms.

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According to the department's data, between July 13 and August 2023, a total of 96,310 passports were printed at Nyayo House.

Notably, 53,750 of these passports were processed during the day shift, while the remaining 42,560 were printed during night shifts.

This insight sheds light on the department's efforts to address the backlog.

Kindiki further highlighted the broader implications of the delays and corruption, linking them to issues of national importance.

"If you go to Wajir, 21-year-olds are waiting for IDs for 3 years now," Kindiki noted.

Moreover, he connected corruption at Nyayo House to challenges such as insecurity and terrorism, indicating the severity of the situation.

As of now, the passport backlog stands at 58,000 and to combat this, the Department of Immigration and Citizen Services says it is processing approximately 5,000 passports daily.

However, Kindiki outlined ambitious plans to improve the situation.

He revealed that efforts are underway to streamline passport issuance to a 7-day period.

Looking ahead, he indicated plans to further reduce processing times to just 3 days, and in cases of emergencies, expedite the process to a remarkable 24 hours.