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The Kenyan Immigration Department is on the spot for blocking a Twitter user who asked a question that appears to expose some of the unreasonable requirements for those applying for e-passports.
The department on Wednesday blocked a Twitter user identified as Bravin after he questioned why one is required to submit copies of parents’ identification cards (IDs) while seeking the new digital passport.
In a tweet, the department says for one to be issued with the digital travel document, they must carry with them an original ID and a copy, original birth certificate and a copy, a copy of recommender ID, online filled forms, 3 invoices, three passport size photos and parents’ ID copies.
“These are some of the things that make me hate this country. I have a national ID, why would I need all these to get a passport? I already submitted my parents’ documents to get the ID. Isn’t this wasting people’s time and money?” Bravin says in a tweet directed at the Immigration Department.
@ItsBravin says the department blocked him after he asked the question.
"@ImmigrationDept should be very serious. Simply Because I replied and questioned them on this, they have now blocked me. Do they have the authority to even do this? Do they fear Accountability and being questioned?? This is Impunity!!!" He says in another tweet.
Following the incident, Kenyans on Twitter have condemned the department for blocking Bravin who asked a question many Kenyans have been seeking answers to.
“When terrorists or other criminals see you ask lots of useless documents, they know that you are groping in the dark and don’t have any secure system. You need to up your game. This is a facade,” says blogger Robert Alai.
@LydiahKinyanju4 says: “That means you asked the right questions!"
@IamElvisMvoi tweets: "A concerned citizen (@ItsBravin) trying to express his feelings instead of replying to his tweet, you are blocking him. Are you guys serious? What is the work of admin?"
@HirshiMasab notes: "The guy behind the account (@ImmigrationDept) uses it like his/her own. I think it's time KOT get to the bottom of this issue, less he/she continues."
@HirshiMasab says:"It is even illegal for them to block you."
@gmwahome tweets: "Apparently they do not understand what public service is. It is every citizen's responsibility to question public organizations when need be!"
Comments
Agree! Especially if you are renewing! Moreover they are not accepting recommender's passport as a form of ID; they specifically want the national Kipande! Why? Isn't a recommender's passport a form of ID? Ujinga mwingi.
@XG, this is ujinga mingi sana. They want a notarized copy. The same government is the same that issues id. They can be able to know a fake and a genuine id because they have a database of all the id they issue. bure kabisa. mafi ya kuku
The dumber one is parents' ID copies. Even after one reaches 18 years still have to do with parents?? Some of the applicants are even great grandparents.
I thought we gad the freedom of speech? Challenge them and they get to you.guilty consciousness bites them!
Incomprehensible! I asked the same questions coz somebody who is renewing a passport shouldn't have to re-submit all the nonsense they are demanding. It's RENEWAL not a new app! Kenya's official also fail to recognize different forms of IDs. A passport is a form of ID and is acceptable all over the world.
Yafaa maombi yote ya pasipoti na vitambulisho vingine kutoka kwenye Idara hii muhimu vichuke muda usiozidi mwezi mmoja baada ya kuwatumia mambo yote wanayohitaji ili kutekeleza (process) unachotaka.
@ Ndugu lmara Daima ,respecfully consider you bingwa wa lugha ya kiswahi.My question to you is,other than scientific words like "SCIENCE" shouldn't we have our own swahili words for words unrelated to SCIENCE?.Words like passport.
My sugestion to a swahili word for passport is "Kisafirishio".What's your take?
Should we call it Pasipoti, Kibali, or Kipitampaka?
@ guest1 pasipoti is a corrupt English word.Iam asking for an authentic swahili word.
Sheer stupidity. Is Uhuru supposed to step in and do their work? Public service is full of man eaters eager to eat your money and they are hungry and angry if you don't pay up,your file disappears. This strategy is meant for one to part with money. Ati invoices and parents ID. What if you don't know your father?
@Mugikuyu, how can a file disappears and everything is computerized? When you send the paperwork they scan it and put everything into the computer. Waache ujinga
Good Question because by now everything should be computerized to an extent one can log in to find out whether their passport is ready or not.
I have been to the passport office @ Nyayo House(don't ask). They actually have your physical file with photo and everything including anyone in your family who has ever applied and received a passport.
Parent’ IDs? What for? How about my parents whose parents are dead wanted passports? Would they dig them out of their graves to have them renew their docs? There needs to be various ways of Identification. You only have to be creative. If I have my old passport, why should I have to ID myself further? If I can open a bank account with either an ID or a passport, why would I need my parents birth certs and IDs? Seems crazy, but Kenya is not known for innovation. We are better known for red tape and waste of time and resources. It takes over a month to renew a mere passport, but it takes seconds to approve vouchers to steal millions of cash from our coffers. Shame on us!
This is about an Overborrowing government (by all means looking for Overpaying taxpayers).
Ndugu yangu @Maxiley:
Lugha zote za kimataifa (international languages) hukopa (borrow) msamiati (vocabulary) kutoka lugha nyingine. Pia, iwapo kuna Taasisi ya Kujenga msamiati ( institute for language development), taasisi hii inaweza kubuni maneno mapya. Kwa mfano, Ukimwi (HIV -Aids) ni maneno matatu yamefanywa neno moja jipya. U (ukosefu - defiency) wa KI (kinga- body defense systems) MWI (mwilini - in the body - UKIMWI.
Unaweza kuwa na maana zaidi ya moja kwa neno, kwa mfano, "ndege" ina maana mbili; ndege (bird) na ndege (airplane).
Wakati mwingine unaweza kulibadilisha neno kwa njia unavyoliandika. "Science" - "Sayansi."
Jambo lililo kubwa ni watu wakuelewe unasema nini. Kwa hiyo, kwangu "pasipoti" ni sawa na pia "kipitampaka," kibali" kama Ndugu @Guest1 alivyosema ni sawa pia.
Unaweza kuyabadilisha matamshi ya neno ili yalingane na lugha yako. Kwa mfano, neno "samaki" linatokana na lugha ya Kiarabu "samak". Ndugu zetu Wagikuyu wamelibadilisha kwa matamshi na kulifanya "thamaki." Nao Wakamba wanatumia neno hili samaki kwa njia yao ya Kikamba na kusema "ikuyu." Waluo wanatumia neno lao kutokana na lugha yao na kusema "rech." Nao Walogooli wanatumia neno "isuze."
Kwa kumalizia hakuna njia moja tu ya kujenga msamiati mradi wananchi waanze kulitumia neno hili jipya kwa wingi.
Asante ndugu Imara Daima. How about in attempt to enrich,and authenticate kiswahili as a distinct african language,we keep the borrowed words/corrupt words,and also create our own. For example,if one were to look for passport in a Swahili dictionary,he/she would see(pasipoti,kipitampaka,kibali)?
"...How about in attempt to enrich,and authenticate kiswahili as a distinct african language,we keep the borrowed words/corrupt words,and also create our own. For example,if one were to look for passport in a Swahili dictionary,he/she would see(pasipoti,kipitampaka,kibali)?"
@maxiley: Nakubaliana nawe Ndugu. Maoni yako ni sawa kabisa. Pia unaweza kuongoze neno, "Kitambulisho cha Kimataifa."
@ Imara, we have settled that one. Asante sana.
The dumbest requirement of all is 'a copy of recommender Id"