Nakuru county residents are now appealing to the Department of Immigration to reopen the passport control office that was shut down last year. The office, which was located at the Provincial Headquarters, was closed following a government directive to have all offices in the county relocated to the main headquarters. However, residents claim that the process of acquiring documentation has been hectic and expensive since the offices were shut. “We are using a lot of cash travelling to Nairobi for the renewal of our passports, yet it is not a guarantee that when you arrive there you will get the passport,” said Godfrey Mutoro. He cited that there was also congestion in Nairobi as the number of people who had opted to receive passports from there had increased. Jane Muchemi cited that she has had to cancel two trips to Uganda and Morroco as her passport was not ready. “It used to be easier when we were in Nakuru and all that was needed was proper documentation. Now it’s becoming a nightmare to get there as in some cases one is forced to go back to Nakuru if you forgot a single paper,” she added. Ruth Anyango called on the government to invest in polite staff at the immigration department.

Do you have a lead on a newsworthy story? Share news tips with us here at Hivisasa!