The government has allocated Sh3.2 billion towards addressing the delays witnessed recently in the processing of passports.
Immigration and Citizen Services Principal Secretary Julius Bitok said the hitches would be sorted out within the next three months.
Prof Bitok said these funds would be geared towards ensuring 500,000 youth acquire the travel documents so as to access job opportunities in foreign countries such as the US, Canada, Australia and Germany.
“We discussed with the parliamentary committee on Budget chair Ndindi Nyoro and they agreed to provide the funds. In the next three months, everyone applying for the documents will access their passports within one month,” noted Prof Bitok during a fundraiser at AIC Annex, Kesses sub county in Uasin Gishu County on Sunday.
National Assembly budget committee chairperson Ndindi Nyoro who was also present said the funds will support in processing of the documents at the immigration.
“President [Ruto] directed us with PS Bitok to provide Sh3.2 billion to harness efficiencies in processing of the passport documents and from next financial year, processing of passports will take a shorter time. We now have resources which address delays in processing of passports,” said the Kiharu MP.
Last month, Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki had pledged the government’s commitment to settle dues owed to suppliers as he sought to coordinate efforts to address delays following public outcry over delays.
“Many years of low investment in passport production infrastructure, piling supplier debts and graft practices continue to undermine the programme initiated to transform the state department of immigration and citizen services last year,” said the CS in February.
Mr Nyoro further disclosed that they have set aside Sh670 billion to the education sector in the budget estimates, with Sh26.3 billion for the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to employ 26,000 interns on permanent basis and hiring 20,000 new tutors in the next financial year.
Governors Dr Jonathan Bii (Uasin Gishu), Dr Eric Mutai (Kericho), Jeremiah Lomurkai (Turkana), Senators Jackson Mandago (Uasin Gishu) and Allan Chesang (Trans Nzoia).
Others were MPs Oscar Sudi (Kapseret), Johana Ngeno (Emurua Dikkir), Joseph Wanaina (nominated), Josses Lelmengit (Emgwen) and Julius Rutto (Kesses).
Mr Rutto said that they are working to enroll youth in technical Vocational Training institutions (TVETs) to study foreign languages to engage in opportunities in foreign countries.
“We will sponsor the youth who have gone through TVETs to go learn the German language so that when those opportunities arise, they take up since there might be a language barrier when Kenya signs a bilateral agreement with the German government,” stated Mr Rutto.
Senator Mandago, chairperson health senate, said that Kenyans should register and contribute to the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHIF) to enable more citizens to access affordable health care.
“Most Kenyans are struggling with financial burden but with new insurance, Kenyans will now access health care for free from Level one to Level 5. We want to encourage employed Kenyans to support and contribute 2.75 per cent to enable them access affordable health care and also enable citizens who cannot afford so that we have a healthy nation,” said the senator.
Meanwhile, MPs Sudi and Mr Rutto asked the State to streamline the distribution of fertilizer, noting that most farmers were struggling access the commodity due to distribution hitches.
“We will not accept a situation where the government sources for fertilizers and farmers fail to get the commodity. We have issues in some depots, every farmer should get fertilizer not farmers asked to pay Sh500 per sack. . . we will deal with fraudsters,” said Kapseret MP.
