President William Ruto is set to officiate the opening of the Garissa passport office at the end of Ramadhan to streamline the application process for residents.
Announcing on Tuesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki stated the move will also reduce bureaucratic hurdles associated with obtaining crucial documents.
Furthermore, he stated that President Ruto will unveil new guidelines for issuing passports, IDs, and other citizenship documents to North Eastern residents to address previous bureaucratic challenges perceived as unfair to citizens.
“The President will personally announce the guidelines and inaugurate the new passport office under construction in Garissa town,” Kindiki affirmed.
Additionally, Kindiki acknowledged delays in the process due to unavoidable circumstances.
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Kindiki highlighted the commitment of President Ruto’s administration to fulfilling promises made to citizens.
The Garissa Immigration offices were closed in 2014 due to heightened terror threats in the region attributed to the Somalia-based Al-Qaeda-linked terrorist group, Al-Shabaab.
Former immigration boss Maj-Gen (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa announced the closure to allow the government to review procedures and address operational loopholes facilitating unauthorized access to immigration documents.
Regarding counterterrorism efforts, Kindiki urged security officers to collaborate closely with communities to gather intelligence on terror suspects and other criminals while avoiding the victimization of innocent individuals.
These remarks were made during Kindiki’s visit to Shanta Abaq Town in Garissa’s Lagdera Constituency, where he inaugurated the new Shanta Abaq Sub-County, opened the Deputy County Commissioner’s (DCC) offices, and appointed the first DCC for the Sub-County.
