Kenyans in Diaspora threaten to seek court orders to revoke special fees on passports

Kenyan passport [Photo: Courtesy]

Kenyans in the Diaspora have threatened to seek court orders to revoke special fees on passports that was introduced recently by Government.

Under the Grand Diaspora Assembly, Kenyans living in the US, UK, Sweden and Germany, among others, have termed the fees discriminatory.

The changes announced by Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i were triggered by an amendment of the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Regulations, 2012 that were put in place by former Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang.’

But the group argues that the 2012 regulation has no clause that allows the government to treat Kenyans differently until they have voluntarily renounced their citizenship. Debra Akello, a resident of California said:” Article 16 of the Kenyan Constitution is very clear that a Kenyan by birth does not lose his/her citizen by residing or being a citizen of another country.”

She said the fees was illegal and would soon be challenged in court by their lawyers.