Uhuru says Kenyans in diaspora to receive passports at the embassies

President Uhuru Kenyatta gives his speech during the presentation of the Gold Award Certificates ceremony at State House, Nairobi. [File, Standard]

President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed the state officers in the immigration ministry to come up with an initiative for issuing new generation passports to Kenyans in diaspora at the embassies.

While speaking in Windhoek, Namibia, where he attended a state function; Uhuru said that Kenyans living abroad are tormented by the hassle of having to come home to apply for the passports.

“Form a team that will go from country to country to register Kenyans in the diaspora. No Kenyan should be forced to spend money to travel to Kenya to get passports,” he said, while addressing the officers from immigration department.

The Head of state was responding to questions from Kenyans residing in Namibia, which involved concerns over the difficulties involved in acquiring the new passports.

Government rolled out issuance of new generation passports which has been marked by complaints. Kenyans have blamed the long queues at immigration offices and lengthy processes involved on acquiring the document.