The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has said it is working to complete the processing of Police Clearance Certificates also known as Certificates of Good Conduct.
In an update on X formerly Twitter, the directorate said they have reduced the backlog from 635,000 to 390,778 applications as of Friday, November 10, 2023.
Currently, they are processing the clearance certificates on a first-in-first-out basis with special consideration for needy cases.
These include overseas medical treatment, scholarships and booked flights.
"To ensure such needy cases and all delayed cases are promptly addressed, our officers at the DCI headquarters and Huduma Centres (DCI desks) countrywide are sorting out and separately packaging such requests before submitting them for urgent processing," DCI said on Saturday.
The directorate said the backlog they are experiencing is of applications stretching back to April as a result of Automated Palm and Fingerprint Identification System (APFIS) system downtime.
"The breakdown issue was resolved in September leaving the over 600,000 clearance applications backlog against daily applications ranging between 13,000 and 15,000," DCI said.
"The Principal Criminal Registrar (PCR) has taken so far realistic steps to deal with the backlog including incorporating both automated and manual processing of the applications."
DCI BRIEF ON THE SITUATION AT THE POLICE CLEARANCE CERTIFICATES CENTRE. pic.twitter.com/WvmssPddhf
— DCI KENYA (@DCI_Kenya) November 11, 2023
Further, DCI stated that the Forensic Fingerprint Identification Bureau (FFIB) officers are working round the clock, including on Saturdays and Sundays to increase the throughput.
It apologised for the inconvenience caused to the applicants and appealed for calm and patience as the Principal Criminal Registrar bid to clear the remaining backlog.
The Directorate hoped this would be "soonest possible", thereby realising a two-week wait time by February 2024.
"The DCI pledges its commitment to continue executing its mandate effectively and expeditiously in a responsive and accountable manner," DCI added.
In September after the system breakdown was resolved, Interior CS Kithure Kindiki said the DCI technology will be upgraded to facilitate the processing of more certificates of good conduct.
"Going ahead, the task remains to clear the backlog and upgrade the system from the current APFIS to the more efficient Multi Biometric Identification System," he said.
