System failure at Nairobi Immigration HQ causes loss of data for 1 Million passports applicants

The Standard

A major crisis has hit the Immigration Department headquarters in Nairobi after a system failed and data for more than one million new passports applicants was lost.

The system crashed last Wednesday and it took experts from Malaysia to jump-start it over the weekend. However, they could not retrieve the data.

On Monday, when staff at the department reported to work, they said they could not process passport requests for new applicants because the data, especially for biometrics, had crashed.

Those coming to collect the passports were asked to take new photos and have their biometric data taken afresh. They were asked to wait for the documents for another week.

This created a huge jam at Nyayo House as the applicants who hoped to collect theirdocuments were informed that they were not ready.

“We have been asked to take new photos because the system crashed or failed. We do not know how long it will take again,” said an applicant who identified himself as Joseph Nguni who had gone to collect his passport.

International experts

Director of Immigration Department Jane Waikenda confirmed that the system was down last week but it had since been rectified.

“We had a system hitch, which created the crisis, but experts have worked on it and rectified whatever was wrong. Things will be okay,” she said.

She added that the problem was caused by a power surge that was experienced at Nyayo House, which is the mainprocessing centre for passports.

Ms Waikenda said the experts were atadvanced stages of normalising the situation. Her statement, however, contradicted that of staff who said they had been overwhelmed by the situation, as there was impatience on the part of some applicants.

“They have to start the process again. It is a crisis that will take days to rectify,” said an insider.

Immigration Department increased the cost of acquiring a passport in 2012. A new ordinary 32-page passport was increased to Sh4,500, up from Sh3,040.

A notice issued at the Immigration Department also indicated that diplomatic 48-page passports cost Sh7,500, up from Sh6,000; ordinary 48-page passports Sh6,000, 64-page passports Sh7,500 and the East African one Sh940.

A 32-page service passport costs Sh6,000.