Naivasha: Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary (CS), Kipchumba Murkomen, has committed to fast-tracking the government’s agenda, including the digitisation of processes, in order to enhance service delivery to Kenyans. Murkomen welcomed the long-awaited suspension of excessive vetting for Kenyans in border counties during the application of Identification documents. The plan announced by President William Ruto during his recent visit to the North Eastern Region commences effective May 1 this year.
According to Kenya News Agency, the CS supported the plan, but noted that the move will not compromise the country’s security, amid concerns raised by a section of leaders. Murkomen said the government will be banking on existing data for Kenyans during the screening of applicants before being issued ID cards, adding that no aliens will acquire the government’s crucial documents. ‘The government will depend on existing data collected from Kenyans to streamline the issuance of government documents, with technology helping to root out non-locals,’ said the CS.
Already, Murkomen said the government’s efforts have seen over 20,000 services onboarded online, including processing of Kenyan passports and issuance of Identification documents. He said the ongoing digitisation of processes has seen decongestion of the Immigration Department after years of complaints from Kenyans, noting that new passports and Identification documents are now being issued within 10 days of applications. ‘The Ministry of Interior’s efforts to streamline its service delivery mandate has since eased the issuance of new passports and other relevant government documents to 10 days, thereby solving all cases of old delays, some of them dating decades back,’ said Murkomen.
Speaking in Naivasha during the end of a two-day retreat for ministry officials, the CS said the ongoing reforms will be cascaded to the prison and correctional departments by ensuring all records are digitised. In addition, the ministry has drafted and will present to the Cabinet, plans to relocate prisons located within town centres in order to create more spaces for expansions and development. Consequently, Murkomen said the ongoing reforms will also see prisons revamp their operations and mechanise their farms in order to generate and boost their own source of revenues. ‘These reforms in our prisons will also prioritise that all officers benefit from the government affordable housing programme that offers cheaper units paid at a lengthy period of years,’ said the CS.
On reforms also targeting the National Police Service (NPS), Murkomen said the government has rolled out the purchasing of new modern vehicles to boost security across the country. He added that the state has initiated the process of drafting Benevolent and Veterans Bill, which will create a legally backed fund for deceased officers and those injured in the line of duty as well as for veterans’ welfare. Murkomen said the NPS is also continuing with the rollout of a digital Occurrence Book (OB) that will ease the storage and retrieval of crucial Kenyan data critical to the country’s security.
The Ministry retreat comes in the wake of the government planned midterm review and audit of implementation of its manifesto including achievements and progress made in the last two years.