Principal Secretary (PS) for the Department of Immigration and Citizen Services Julius Bitok has announced plans to expedite dual citizenship applications for Kenyans who were required to give up their Kenyan citizenship to acquire citizenship of another country.
Dual citizenship was not allowed under Kenya’s previous laws before the 2010 Constitution was promulgated.
While speaking at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) during the flag-off of this year’s International Migrants Day Walk, the PS stated that the move aims to strengthen connections between Kenyans abroad and their homeland.
“The government will fast-track applications for dual citizenship for Kenyans who were forced to renounce their citizenship before the promulgation of the 2010 Constitution,” the PS said.
The event, organized by the National Coordination Mechanisms on Migration and the International Office on Migration, celebrates the benefits of migration and cross-border movement.
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PS Bitok Assures Kenyans Who Lost Citizenship
PS Julius Bitok said the new policy is designed to facilitate Kenyans’ use of constitutional provisions acknowledging dual nationality while strengthening connections between Kenyans abroad and their homeland.
“By fast-tracking dual citizenship applications, we are enabling Kenyans abroad to reclaim their identity and contribute to the economic development of our nation,” he asserted.
Additionally, he said that regaining Kenyan citizenship is also expected to encourage Kenyans who migrated abroad and acquired other nationalities to invest more in their country of birth.
He mentioned that the government was keen on promoting the migration of Kenyans seeking job opportunities abroad while also attracting unique expertise and investments to the country.
“We are also keen on attracting high-net-worth visitors and investors to Kenya through the introduction of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) system, which will simplify travel and enhance tourism and business opportunities,” PS Bitok said.
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Dual Citizenship
It is estimated that around three million Kenyans are in the Diaspora, with a significant percentage enjoying dual citizenship status.
Many, however, abandoned Kenyan citizenship before the 2010 Constitution as a precondition for qualifying for other nationalities.
Section 16 of the Kenya Constitution, 2010 provides for dual nationality. According to the Kenyan Constitution, 2010 and the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act of 2011, the Dual Citizenship is permissible in Kenya.
Kenya citizens who have acquired other nationalities are required to disclose their other citizenship within 3 months of becoming a dual citizen.
Kenyans wishing to reclaim citizenship must submit their applications online through eCitizen and the Directorate of Immigration website.
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