Passport cartel crackdown: Kindiki in another surprise visit to Nyayo house

**Interior CS Kithure Kindiki at Nyayo House on Friday, September 1**. [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has paid another surprise visit to Nyayo house on Friday morning.

It is the second time that the CS is making an impromptu visit this week, after assuring that he will deal with the cartel situation at the immigration offices.

Kindiki also said that his random visits are aimed at encouraging staffers to work hard toward clearing the passport backlog, which has been a bone of contention for months.

While speaking during a meeting with the National Assembly Committee on Delegated Legislation, Immigration PS Julius Bitok said that the backlog is expected to be cleared in two weeks’ time.

“Right now, we are producing around 3,600 passports per day. We have managed to reduce the backlog to around 45,000. We are projecting that in the next two weeks, there will be no backlog,” said the PS.

In order to fast-track the processing of passports, the ministry has introduced a double-shift working formula as well as buying and repairing printing machinery.

Kindiki had earlier told the committee he had received an anonymous tip that among the issues leading to passport backlog is corruption

**Kenyans at Nyayo House seeking to get their passports on Friday, September 1.** [Denish Ochieng, Standard]

Four people suspected of soliciting bribes from Kenyans in order to process their passports were arrested earlier this week by officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).

The CS put cartels who are said to swindle money from citizens on notice and requested the public to offer information relating to corruption deals.

Additionally, the CS has banned idlers who camp within the vicinity of Nyayo House, saying that access is restricted to staff members and those seeking government services.

“The general public is hereby notified that security within the vicinity of the premises has been heightened, and nobody will be allowed to hang around without justifiable reason,” read a post by the ministry on X.