The immigration office in Nakuru is on spot after a section of Nakuru residents of Somali origin raised complaints over what they termed is discrimination in issuance of passports.
Addressing media outside Nakuru’s Jamia Mosque after noon prayers, the residents led by Mr.Abdulaye Adan said the immigration office in Nakuru was meant to ease service delivery to the residents without discrimination but that is not the case.
He says he visited the office seeking passport service but was shocked to be told that he has to travel to Nairobi.
According to him, this has inconvenienced the Muslim brothers and sisters who are in preparation for the special prayers in Holy city during this month of Ramadhan.
Abdulaye is now calling on the national government through the Ministry concerned to ensure that the matter is addressed.“We need the government to speed up and come to our aid because travelling to Nairobi to seek the services is very expensive” said Abdulaye.
Sentiments echoed by Nakuru County Muslim Association Chair Ahmed Nashar who called on the government to ensure the immigration office in Nakuru is serving the purpose it was meant for in Nakuru.
He called on the vetting committee to ensure the members of border communities’ origin are vetted and served with passports without discrimination.
“Registration of passports in Nakuru should not be discriminative. We want the vetting committee to intervene in the few cases where members of the border communities have been harassed by the office in Nakuru” he said.
Sheikh Hamisi Nasoro on his part calling on equality in service delivery to the people of Nakuru County.
He said it was wrong for immigration office in Nakuru to deny a section of residents some services due to discrimination.The Muslim Sheikh also calling on locals to maintain peace.
“We appeal for peaceful co-existence without any discrimination” he said.
But when the Immigration office in Nakuru was reached for a comment on the matter,they refused to address the media and referred to Head office in Nairobi.
PHOTO/Pristone Mambili:Nakuru County Muslim Association Chair Ahmed Nashar addressing media outside Nakuru’s Jamia Mosque on May 16 2019.