Immigration department faces EACC audit
Kenyans queue to apply for passports at Department of Immigration at Nyayo House, Nairobi, on May 21, 2018. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission CEO Mbarak says brokers compromise issuance of passports.
- He wants the process of issuing passports reduced to at least an hour to get rid of brokers.
- Mr Mbarak also wants the agency to audit the competency of its staff.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has seconded four senior officers to audit the Department of Immigration in a bid to seal corruption loopholes.
The team led by Patrick Gachuma will audit the department's systems, policies, procedures and practices and has two months to file a report.
EACC chief executive Twalib Mbarak also urged the agency to deal with brokers whom he said compromise the process of issuing passports to Kenyans.
“We have to speed up the process of issuing passports from close to four hours to at least an hour. We have to do our best to address the issue of corruption at the Immigration department so that we do not compromise on the value attached to the Kenyan passport,” said Mr Mbarak.
The new anti-graft boss said the department also needs to address the issue of staff competency in bid to improve their services.
Principal Secretary Immigration and Citizen Services Maj Gen (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa said the report will go a long way in helping improve services to Kenyans.
He said the Immigration Department has over the years continued to improve its services in bid to ensure the public is well served.
“We have challenges but we are determined to make those challenges minimal,” said Mr Kihalangwa.
Mr Kihalangwa said the department plans to digitise its information systems.
