NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya Kwanza administration says it has issued more than half a million passports since taking office in 2022, even as backlogs and uncollected documents continue to frustrate applicants.
A progress report by the Governance and Public Administration (GPA) Subcommittee of the National Development Implementation Committee (NDIC) shows that 514,152 passports have been issued in the past three years.
The backlog of uncollected passports has also fallen, dropping from 90,000 to 56,000 in just three months, according to the report presented on Tuesday at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC).
Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo chaired the subcommittee’s 12th meeting, with Parliamentary Affairs PS Dr Aurelia Rono as vice-chair.
The immigration department has been under pressure to address long-running delays at Nyayo House, which have hampered Kenyans seeking travel documents for jobs, education, and medical treatment abroad.
Digital Identity Rollout
The report also highlighted progress in rolling out the Unique Personal Identifier (UPI), or Maisha Number, a digital ID designed to merge fragmented identification records.
The Maisha Number consolidates details such as birth certificate numbers, National IDs, KRA PINs, and Social Health Authority (SHA) numbers.
So far, 90,038 Maisha Numbers have been issued across Nairobi, Kiambu, Machakos and Kajiado counties, while 48 government agencies are already connected to the Maisha Integrated Database.
In addition, more than 22,000 government services have been digitised and moved onto the e-Citizen platform.
Legislative Agenda
On the legislative front, the GPA subcommittee reported that eight bills and policies have been approved, while 10 bills and 17 statutory instruments are still pending.
Key proposals include the Public Participation Bill, the Whistleblowers Bill, and the Anti-Corruption Bill, which the government says will enhance transparency, accountability, and civic engagement.
To promote public participation, the state has also rolled out vernacular radio programmes and collaborations with civil society across 14 counties.
Security and Governance Reforms
The report further noted government efforts to stabilize the North Rift, including peace and rehabilitation programs and the reconstruction of schools in West Pokot.
Security sector reforms are also underway, including Phase Two of salary and allowance reviews, a medical scheme for personnel, titling of police land, and restructuring of key security units.
The government maintains these measures are central to building trust, efficiency, and accountability in public service delivery.
