Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen convened a high-level meeting with senior officials from the State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services, demonstrating business-as-usual governance amid recent political developments.Accompanied by Principal Secretary Dr. Belio Kipsang, Murkomen engaged Heads of Directorates to review ongoing reforms, consolidate achievements, and plan further improvements in service delivery.
The session focused on enhancing efficiency in issuing national IDs, passports, and related citizen services. The government has implemented significant changes in recent months, including the abolition of fees for first-time ID applicants, elimination of extra vetting for residents in border counties without compromising security, and fast-tracking ID and passport issuance.
Additional reforms include scrapping authentication fees for birth certificates during ID/passport applications and waiving charges for duplicate IDs.Murkomen emphasized that more initiatives are in the pipeline to make services more accessible and citizen-friendly, aligning with the administration’s commitment to responsive public administration. The meeting included key figures such as Secretary National Registration Bureau Dr. Christopher Wanjau, Secretary Civil Registration Paul Mwamburi Mwangi, eCitizen Services Director-ID Amb. Isaac Ochieng, Immigration Services Director-General Amb.
Isaac Ochieng, Immigration Services Director-General Evelyn Cheluget, Nairobi Regional Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo, Commissioner for Refugee Affairs Mercy Mwasaru, Secretary Administration Serser Chelulei, and other senior officials. This gathering occurred mere hours after Eliud Owalo’s resignation as Deputy Chief of Staff for Delivery and Government Efficiency on January 11, 2026. Owalo stepped down immediately after declaring his intention to run for the presidency in the 2027 General Election, citing that his continued service in the role had become untenable.
Despite the high-profile departure, which has sparked discussions about shifting political alignments ahead of 2027, Murkomen’s proactive engagement underscores the administration’s focus on service delivery and institutional reforms in critical sectors like immigration and citizen registration. The early morning meeting highlights continuity in government operations, prioritizing practical gains for ordinary Kenyans over political transitions.
By Newshub