Immigration Officials still Can’t give this Kenyan a passport why?

Day 4 of x @ Nyayo House…

Today I went with 2 additional documents to Immigrations Dept.

– A Primary School Leaving Certificate from Isiolo Hekima Primary School (needless to say, All A’s.. hehehe) that was given to me in 1996 (13 years ago).
– A letter from the DO and DC and chief of Isiolo waying that I am a citizen and also a copy of the letter of recommendation that recommended me to Join Starehe Boys in 1997.

On the way up to 1st floor, I meet some Somalis Smiling and hugging each other waving freshly printed Kenyan Passports chanting “Abrogha#$ yadda yadda Genya Bassbot!!”.. I smile, “This must be a good day”. I console my unsure self.

Ohh How wrong I was! Different day, same result.

Let us assume for a moment I was not born in Kenya.

According to http://u.nu/5xe43

(1) Subject to subsection (2), a person of full age and capacity, on making application to the minister in prescribed manner, may be registered as a citizen of Kenya if he has satisfies the Minister–

(a) that he is of African descent;

(b) that either
(i) he was born and one of his parents was born, in a country to which this section applies; or
(ii) he has been a resident for a period of not less than ten years in a country to which this section applies and he is not of an independent state on the continent of Africa ;
(c) that he is ordinarily resident in Kenya and has been so resident for a period of five years;
(d) that he has an adequate knowledge of the Swahili or the English language or such as the Minister may prescribe;
(e) that he is good character; and
(f) that he would be a suitable citizen of Kenya.

So, a well behaved (see e), swahili and english speaker (see d) like me who has been in Kenya for 5 years+ (see c) AUTOMATICALLY qualified to be a Kenyan.

“Kama huwezi pata your mother’s ID, then usitusimbue. 1998 is just the other day. go look for the ID”. They Said. (I have that recorded in my phone).

But at least I got an option. “Get us your grandmothers ID card and that will help”… What ???

I cannot get my mother’s ID, sembuse ya granny. But I have called home, and THEY HAVE IT…

“Mbona una-photocopy things everyday hapa?”, Asks the photocopy lady at Nyayo. “Wamekataa kunipa passport because naitwa Salim Idd Kithinji.”, I respond “Kwanini?”, She asked half-annoyed, half suprised “Si majina ya Ki-Kenya”, I confess.

“You will get that passport in JESUS name! “, She says… “Amen”, I respond.

Acha tuone granny ID ikija wataitisha nini sasa. Maybe hoove-prints from all our camels in Isiolo.

Aluta Continua…

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