Initiatives to Improve Service Delivery in Kenya Are Welcome

Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki, in celebrating his 100 days in office, made pronouncements of key milestones in the Directorate of Immigration Services.

Among the key highlights during this address included that the Ministry of Interior and National Administration has cleared a backlog of 1,698 applications for citizenship, some of which have been pending approval since 2018. It was also noted that 808 of the said applications were made by persons who sought to regain Kenyan citizenship, which they had earlier renounced in favour of other countries. Another 815 applications for citizenship were made by spouses and children of Kenyan citizens.

Planned Service Delivery Improvement Measures

The cabinet secretary also indicated that the Directorate of Immigration Services would ensure decisions on all applications for citizenship, permanent residency and work permits are processed within 21 days from the date of application. It will be important for the Ministry to consider investing in robust technology that brings together all security and non-security actors involved in the application determination process to make this a reality.

This is a move in the right direction, and if strictly implemented, would put Kenya among the first countries in Africa to go the way of efficiently determining immigration-related applications. Rwanda now leads the pack in Eastern Africa in terms of the speed with which work permit applications are processed.

In Rwanda, permits that are applied for within the skills on demand list are determined within two weeks of application, while those that require labour market testing for skills that are largely available in the country could take longer, with higher chances of the applications being declined.

In Tanzania, applications for residency and work permits have since been combined into a single process, allowing the process to flow smoothly, taking about four weeks to complete.

Importance of Service and Proposed Service Delivery Improvement Measures

The proposed service delivery improvements will go a long way towards cementing Kenya as a leading investment and talent destination in Africa. Additionally, they would promote transparency, enabling investors to plan properly for the mobilisation of the talent they need in Kenya. Significantly, the Ministry needs to stay the course of change and to make the planned changes a reality.

Additional Service Delivery Improvements Measures that Are Still Required

Although the proposed 21-day timeline for finalisation is commendable, it is vital for the Ministry to consider some changes at the policy and operational levels as well.

On the policy front, the country requires a clear list of occupations that are in critical need in Kenya. This would enable the country to develop, attract and retain such talent through permanent residency and citizenship status going forward. Another policy change that requires attention, given the Cabinet Secretary’s vision for the Directorate of Immigration Services, is skills transfer and enforcement. Finally, the introduction of visa options, such as remote working visas, given the world-class hospitality sector of Kenya, is another policy initiative worth considering. This would make Kenya the only country to have such a visa option in the East African Community and continue to serve the needs of its tourist market.

At an operational level, it is important to consider the implementation of premium service for the ministry to cater to investors and other clients who would like to get their services before the set timeline. Premium service is important for market segmentation and dealing with clients, investors and various economic players according to their needs. Additionally, it is a much-needed revenue stream to source funds for investment in technology, upskilling personnel and hiring more staff that the Ministry may need.

Looking Ahead

At a time when Kenya and other countries in Africa are working hard to be globally competitive in terms of developing, attracting and retaining talent, the cabinet secretary’s planned changes in the Ministry are good for building confidence in the country’s immigration system. Of great importance will be for him to keep the momentum of change going.

Need to know more?

For further information on this topic, please contact Immigration Director Willys Mac'Olale at [email protected].

This blog was published on 2 March 2023, and due to the circumstances, there are frequent changes. To keep up to date with all the latest updates on global immigration, please visit our dedicated COVID-19 site, subscribe to our alerts and follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.