In a move to address the prolonged delay and backlog in passport issuance, the government has shown keen interest in leasing high-capacity passport printing machines from private investors.
Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Administration of National Government, Kithure Kindiki, revealed this strategy to the Regional Integration Committee on August 24th, 2023, at Continental House in Nairobi.
According to Prof Kindiki, the existing passport printing machines have become obsolete, with some being “totally dysfunctional and dilapidated”.
The delay caused by the faulty machines has resulted in a staggering backlog of 58,000 passports, leaving Kenyans waiting for over eight months since a machine breakdown in March.
Prof Kindiki was optimistic that with the implementation of this leasing plan, passports would be issued within three days by next year.
While assuring that the leased machines will be operated solely by State officials, Prof Kindiki drew parallels between this initiative and the medical equipment leasing system established by the Ministry of Health.
He emphasized the government’s intention to manage the equipment while maintaining the integrity of national security.
The move is driven by the exorbitant capital costs of these machines, compelling the government to seek private sector funding through leasing.
Commenting on the current passport printing rate, the CS revealed that they are managing to print around 5,000 passports daily.
He expressed hope that with the acquisition of new machines, the backlog would be cleared within a month. In 2022, the number of passports processed surged by 55.9 per cent to 426,137, following the easing of coronavirus-related restrictions.
