Cabinet Secretary for Interior, Kithure Kindiki, has withdrawn the official notification regarding the increase in charges, fees, and levies for services provided by the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services.
Kindiki on Tuesday directed the State Department for Immigration to initiate public consultation regarding this issue by December 10, 2023.
He stressed the importance of expeditiously concluding the process of public participation, ensuring it is completed by the specified date.
The Cabinet Secretary clarified that the intended modifications to charges, fees, and levies are intended to bolster Kenya’s financial independence in supporting the National Budget.
“This is intended to reduce the country’s reliance on unsustainable debt, which poses significant threats to our sovereignty and the well-being of future generations,” he said.
At the same time, Kindiki has released a revised set of proposed charges, fees, and levies for the same services, which will be implemented on January 1, 2024.
Kindiki acknowledges that these fresh proposals have been revised to take into account the input received from the public after the initial release of the previously withdrawn Gazette Notices.
This development follows the High Court’s intervention, which halted the implementation of the previously revoked Gazette Notice.
A week ago, a new set of charges for ID cards and passport issuance was gazetted, causing many to criticize the high costs.
Now, a second petition has been filed in court challenging the implementation of these charges. The gazette notices, dated November 7, also included revised fees for other government documentation and services such as birth and death certificates, marriage certificates, and work permits.
In this new application, Fredrick Bikeri, represented by lawyer Danstan Omari, argues that there was a lack of public participation with key stakeholders before the gazette notices were issued.
Omari further argues that these increased charges may prevent economically disadvantaged individuals from accessing essential government services.
