This archive report was first published on 25 July 2019.
On August 31, 2017, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i showed off the new Kenyan East African passport at Nyayo House.
Fast forward to 2019, Kenyans were initially set to miss their travel deadlines due to the September 1, 2019, deadline for the new generation passports. However, President Uhuru Kenyatta intervened on Thursday evening, extending the deadline to March 1, 2020.
According to a press release signed by Government Spokesman Col. Rtd Cyrus Oguna, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i and his Foreign Affairs counterpart Monica Juma have been directed to work with foreign government agencies to issue visas to Kenyans on current passports.
Those who have already applied for the new generation passports are encouraged to beat the new deadline without slacking. The directive has effectively extended the deadline for travel on new e-passport to March 1, 2020, for all Kenyans.
Earlier, the Government had set September 1, 2019, as the deadline for issuing the new generation passports. However, the then Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizen Services Gordon Khihalangwa warned that the Government would not issue new passports to any individual with no plans to travel outside the country.
“If you ask a good number of people applying for the new passport, (a good number) of them have no desire of travelling to any place. For that matter this congestion is undesirable,” said Kihalangwa.
“We do not expect people who come and apply for passports for fun, because we will not issue them,” he added.
Mr Khihalangwa said that the priority would only be given to students travelling outside, those going abroad for medical assistance or religious services like Hajj.
