Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i has warned that government will kick out foreigners working in Kenya illegally in the next 60 days.
A tough speaking CS said those who have been in the country working illegally should regularize their status or be kicked out.
Matiang’i on Friday told the National Assembly’s Committee on Security at Flamingo Hotel in Mombasa that out of over 100, 000 foreigners working in Kenya, just 34, 000 of them have genuine work permits.
“It means there are people doing jobs that Kenyans can do and they are coming through the back,” he said according to the Star.
He said upon expiry of the 60 days, a major crackdown will go down.
“After 60 days, George Kinoti [DCI director] will conduct a swoop and remove from our country people who are not desired to be here. We are going to tighten the process of obtaining a work permit,” stated the CS.
He said the state will also provide electronic work permits to all foreign workers in the country in the next two months.
In issuing the work permits, the ministry will work on a two-track model where work permits will be granted to those who require “automatic entitlement”. They include missionary doctors, diplomats and foreign scholars working at the universities as professors.
The other model will involve vetting any foreigner who requires a work permit.
Matiang’i noted they will tighten immigration systems. “We have not beefed up our systems on immigration for a long time.”
He promised that the process to obtain a work permit will be transparent but stringent.