Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang. Photo/FILE 

By BERNARD NAMUNANE  

Immigration minister Otieno Kajwang’ has been cleared of corruption allegations in the issuance of work and entry permits by a Parliamentary committee.

The committee on Administration, National Security and Local Authorities said Mr Kajwang’ acted within the law in approving the issuance of entry and work permits to foreigners.

The committee, chaired by Mt Elgon MP Fred Kapondi (ODM), indicted the immigration director Joseph Ndathi and recommended that he be investigated for failing to focus on the overall administration of the department.

The committee recommended that the National Security Intelligence Services be investigated for clearing foreigners on the basis of fake papers and in the process undermining the security of the State.

The committees’s report that was tabled yesterday stated: “The minister, in approving the work/entry permits acted within powers vested in him by the Immigration Act Cap 172 Sec 5 (3), which gives the minister discretion to grant or reject appeals and the powers given are final and cannot be challenged in a court of law.”

The committee faulted the Act for failing to state the number of foreigners who should be granted citizenship and proposed that it should be amended to block future ministers from using those powers arbitrarily to naturalise non-Kenyans.

The committee launched investigations following allegations of corruption at the Immigration ministry, which forced Mr Kajwang’ to come out in the public to deny the charges.

Reports had indicated that an unusual number of foreigners had either been granted citizenship, entry permits or work documents in a short period since the Grand Coalition Government was formed.

The matter, it also became clear, was being investigated by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission. In the report, the Parliamentary committee noted that corruption was rampant at the ministry and proposed a total overhaul of the staff.

“A complete overhaul of the staff of the Immigration Services Department is mandatory if corruption is to be controlled at the ministry. Thorough investigations of the staff by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) for  alleged corruption by the officers at the Immigration Department should be carried out urgently,” stated the report.

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API/SourceNation.ke