Matiangi: Major crackdown on illegal immigrants, workers imminent

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has revealed that 31 fake work permits have been nabbed and three brokers masquerading as work permit issuance officials arrested so far in the ongoing work permit verification exercise.

According to CS Matiang’i, the exercise, which begun May 22 will end July 22 and after that, the government will embark on a major operation to fish out illegal foreign workers and immigrants in the country.

The Interior CS further noted that there will be an extension of the work permit verification process and anyone found without valid permits will face different forms of removal including repatriation and deportation.

According to Matiang’i, some foreigners have low cadre jobs that can be taken up by Kenyans.

“We shall not allow work permits for people who want to work in fields which Kenyans can… We will only allow those with expertise which is rare in Kenya,” said Matiang’i.

“We are making amendments on how illegal immigrants will be facilitating their own resources.”

In April, the Interior Ministry issued a 60-day ultimatum for illegal foreign workers citing high unemployment rates of Kenyan citizens.