Anxiety has gripped the Immigration department after Interior Secretary, Joseph ole Lenku, quietly deployed 17 former district commissioners to man border and passport control posts countrywide. Sunday Nation has established that the move, which comes three weeks after Interior Principal Secretary, Mr Mutea Iringo, fired more than 20 immigration officers for alleged irregular issuance of passports to non-Kenyan Somalis and Asians, has caused disquiet at the department and raised concerns. At the heart of the radical changes is the acting Director of Immigration Services, Ms Jane Waikenda, who was deployed on June 20 as the acting director through a letter signed by Francis Kimemia, then acting Head of Public Service. A document seen by Sunday Nation details the names of new officers even as intelligence circles cautioned that it will take a while before the new officers understand how border control works and the change-over gap might present the country with another security threat. The officers are Charles Wanyoike, Milka Chepkurui, Hillary Mooke, Wyclife Milimu, Angeline Musikoyo (JKIA), Mathias Omondi, Chelule Serser, Peter Gatuiku, (Headquarters Passport Section), Rose Wakibia (Headquarters, Finance), Joseph Chepkwony, Paul Khaoya (Namanga Border Post), Paul Mwoca (Nakuru office), Isabela Maithya (Administration), Kenneth Kiprop, Daniel Katee (Mombasa office) and Peter Lelei (HQ Citizenship Section). Staff were fearful that they would lose their jobs with the arrival of the former DCs, and expressed concern that they have been asked to attend a three-month mandatory para-military course at the Administration Police Training School, Embakasi. But Ms Waikenda says personnel need not worry about the changes because no one will lose his/her job. “We realised the need to equip our officers with security training after the Westgate attack. Elsewhere, immigration are armed and well versed on security matters” said Ms Waikenda on phone. She praised the new officers whom she said have integrated well into the department. “Having been in provincial administration, they are trained in security operations.They are managers coordinating operations. Our screening has become more intense. Some suspicious foreigners have disappeared because of this. We are now recording interview proceedings which we can review afterwards.” She singles out the officers at JKIA and Namanga border as being exceptional. “They are doing a good job. We hope to improve the scheme of service for all our staff,” she stated. According documents seen by the Sunday Nation, there are slightly more than 750 immigration officers. Government projections were that there would be at least 1,500 by this year to cover 32 gazetted border controls at air, land and sea points. But the figures are still way below the required numbers. “The current workload demand stands at least 5,000 officers to match the 32 gazetted border points, seven passport-issuance offices, three airports and inland services centres which deal with work permits, investigations, prosecution, repatriation and deportation,” says the document. RECRUITING NEW STAFF Ms Waikenda says they will recruit new staff to bridge the shortfall. “We will open new border points, which means recruiting new staff,” says Ms Waikenda. The former provincial administrators are likely to replace immigration officers who were fired on October 25. The fired individuals have since sued government for wrongful dismissal. According to their dismissal letters signed by Mr Iringo, and which are before the industrial court, they were sent on retirement from the service on grounds of public interest. The letters are dated October 28. Court documents show that the individuals have awarded passports to Somali nationals, engaged in human trafficking and allowed drug traffickers to access the country. One letters states: “You presided over... issuance of passports to non-Kenyan Somalis and Nigerian nationals, in contravention of the employment Act 2007.” Speaking through an aide, Mr Iringo assured Kenyans that the ministry is determined to weed out corruption in the ministry. Two weeks ago, the president, in no uncertain terms, said the sacked individuals would not be reinstated “even if the court gave orders to that effect”.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 08:14:29 +0000
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