MPs claim that they are being harassed.[Photo/Kenya Monitor] The Immigration Department is facing protests from Parliament claiming MPs are harassed when travelling outside the country on account of lacking approvals. Michael Sialai, the National Assembly Clerk noted that the MPs are not required to produce travel clearance when going outside the country on official or private business in a letter to the Director for Immigration Services Maj-Gen (Rtd) Gordon Kihalangwa.  However, he clarified that only parliamentary staff working under him will be required to get his authorisation to leave the country. Mr Sialai told Mr Kihalangwa in the letter dated September 27, 2017, “Our attention has been drawn to concerns by members of the National Assembly that in some instances, they have been asked to produce travel clearance at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport while traveling outside the country”. He said in the letter copied to the Speaker and MPs that, “This is, therefore, to request you to bring this information to the attention of the officers working in your office and in various border points and to advise them that no Member of Parliament should be required to produce any approval to travel outside the country”. The position taken by the National Assembly also applies to the Senate given that they perform similar but distinct roles. Parliament is an independent organ and MPs were, therefore, not required by law to get travel clearance whether to fly out of the country.

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