Poor communication blamed for 57,000 uncollected passports
Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services Belio Kipsang revealed that by June 9, 2025, a total of 57,334 passports had not been picked up by applicants, despite text message notifications having been sent out.
The Immigration Department is grappling with a backlog of over 57,000 uncollected passports, sparking concern from lawmakers who are now questioning the department’s communication strategies and public outreach.
Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services Belio Kipsang revealed that by June 9, 2025, a total of 57,334 passports had not been picked up by applicants, despite text message notifications having been sent out.
"In 2024, we issued 621,805 passports and have successfully streamlined the passport issuance process. As of 9th June 2025, despite having notified applicants by text messages, we have 57,334 uncollected passports," Kipsang told the Committee on Regional Integration on Tuesday.
Lawmakers expressed concern that many of the affected individuals could be job seekers hoping to travel abroad, with some having limited access to mobile phones or formal communication.
Kipipiri MP Wanjiku Muhia said the department needed to do more to reach out.
"Some of these passports could belong to Kenyans seeking job opportunities abroad. Some of them apply through Cybers and may not even have mobile phones. Don't just sit and operate in your offices, go out of your way," she said.
Committee chairperson Irene Mayaka urged the department to use existing public structures to close the communication gap. “MPs have established channels of communication with their constituents. You may use them to reach out to the populace,” she said.
While facing criticism over the uncollected documents, the Immigration Department outlined a number of internal reforms aimed at improving service delivery.
According to the PS, the department has acquired two high-end passport personalization machines, procured one million passport booklets, and recruited 286 officers.
Staff are also undergoing in-house training on customer service and integrity.
Despite this progress, MPs said the department also needs to prioritise the faster processing of documents for foreigners applying for work permits and permanent residence.
Lawmakers noted that delays in these services may discourage skilled individuals and investors.
The committee is expected to carry out a fact-finding visit to the passport section to observe the entire passport application and collection process.
The lawmakers also plan to scrutinize the systems handling foreign work permits and permanent residency to identify areas that need improvement.
