Ensure integrity while issuing passports

The Immigration Department has suspended issuance of passports in its offices at Eldoret, Nakuru, Garissa and Embu offices, sparking fury from residents.

The directive, deemed necessary over security concerns, will enable it review its procedures and seal loopholes that allow aliens access crucial immigration documents. In other words all passports will be processed in Nairobi, that is if similar services offered in Kisumu and Mombasa Immigration offices, will also be stopped by end of current financial year, according to media reports.

Now, it is an open secret that emerging global threats like terrorism have forced many countries to tighten their passport controls and enhance the documents’ security features. In this respect, Kenya is no different for wanting to ensure the integrity of the crucial travel document is maintained. But whether this will be attained by centralising passport issuance is a subject of debate, given that one must look at the issue in context of other related challenges that have seen the Kenyan passport fall into the wrong hands.

While the directive may be deemed a step towards cleaning up a system long linked to corruption, it would also be prudent to address other administrative and managerial aspects within the Immigration department that help create loopholes in accessing the document.

Perhaps it would also be worth considering giving county governments room to develop their own security systems and strategies then work together with the National government in implementing them.