• Stateless descendants of Kenyan citizens will also be issued with national ID cards and passports, if they apply for one.
• The ministry said it is aware some people are planning to take advantage of the process to get Kenyan citizenship.
Thousands of Kenyans who lost their citizenship under the old Constitution will officially regain their status in the next two months, the Star has learnt.
However, they have to lodge applications at Nyayo House in Nairobi or at the Kenyan embassies.
So far, more than 25,000 applications are pending at the Immigration offices.
Interior CS Fred Matiang’i has written to the Attorney General to simplify the application process, a brief seen by the Star indicates.
The CS said Kenya is keen to reunite families as most of these Kenyans have to apply for visas and cannot engage in gainful employment unless they are issued with permits and passes.
Matiang’i is expected to launch a 60-day rapid results initiative programme to clear the backlog and set the stage for speedy processing and issuance of these documents.
According to the brief from the ministry, the pending applications will be processed within the period of the RRI.
"The RRI programme will start on 2nd June 2021 and run for two months ending on 31st July 2021," the brief says.
However, the application process will continue beyond the RRI period.
The ministry is also seeking to reunite families by speeding up citizenship applications by spouses of Kenyan citizens.
Stateless descendants of Kenyan citizens will also be issued with national ID cards and passports if they apply for one.
The ministry has also identified citizenship applications from investors for fast-tracking during the RRI programme, the brief indicates.
Other benefiting applications are for permanent residence for spouses, children, and widows and widowers of citizens of Kenya.
Thousands of investors will also be issued with permanent residence permits. This status is essential in giving a sense of security and predictability of immigration status to those who have made significant investments.
The ministry said it is aware some people are planning to take advantage of the process to get Kenyan citizenship.
“To mitigate this unfortunate motive, applicants for these two services have been subjected to rigorous vetting, sometimes causing prolonged delays,” the brief says.
The Director General of Immigration was directed to relook at the regulatory framework and the internal processes for the issuance of citizenship and permanent residence and make proposals for the necessary changes that would ensure speedy processing and issuance of the documents.
“By the end of the 60 day RRI programme, all the backlog of citizenship and Permanent Residence applications shall be cleared and a framework put in place for the speedy issuance of these documents,” the brief says.