Why Raila has praised Immigration Department officials after renewing his expired passport

“My passport expired and today I went down to the immigration department to renew it. I’d like to thank the agency’s friendly and helpful staff for the reception and timely service,” Azimio la Umoja leader Raila Odinga said on his Twitter account.

Odinga hailed the State Department for Citizen Services for quality service after he visited the Immigration Department at Nyayo House, Nairobi on Thursday, January 26, to renew his expired passport.

He said he was welcomed by friendly and helpful staff.

Photos posted on the politician’s social media platforms on Thursday showed him going through the passport renewal process at the immigration offices in Nairobi, while interacting with State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services PS  Julius Bitok and staff.

There have been complaints of delays in the processing of passports, visas, work permits and other vital documents, leading to protests from frustrated would-be travellers, potential expatriates and other inconvenienced clients.

The agency however, clarified the delays were caused by printer breakdown.

Ochieng made the revelations on Tuesday, November 29, when Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki made a surprise visit to the Immigration Department at Nyayo House in Nairobi.

Kindiki had gone to inspect services at the headquarters that issues passports and other essential documents.

The Immigration Department’s Head of Corporate Affairs Ambassador Isaac Ochieng said some Sh150 million would be needed for a new machine.

Odinga’s statement in which he praised the officers at Nyayo House was met with mixed reactions from netizens, coming only two days after he declared that he (and his coalition) doesn’t recognize Predsident Ruto’s administration.