Kenya's ambassador to the United States Robinson Njeru Githae has refuted claims of extorting Kenyans in the diaspora.
Responding to allegations that the embassy was overcharging Kenyans in the US for consular services such as application for renewal of passports and identity cards, the envoy said the extra charges are “associated with logistics.”
The diplomat said the allegations are meant to destroy the good reputation of the Kenya's embassy in Washington DC, terming them as baseless.
“The information circulating around on social media has no basis in facts. The information has been manipulated to make it look like the embassy is charging more than it’s required when it comes to ID issuance but the reality is, the seemingly extra charges are those associated with logistics,” he said.
“The embassy does not have enough manpower to send out to different cities and that’s the reason we engage the services of other groups in specific cities,” the envoy told a Kenyan scholars’ conference in Atlanta on Saturday.
A section of Kenyans in the US took to social media to express their displeasure over the extra fees charged for the services by the embassy. They claimed that Mr Githae and the embassy was for instance charging $150 (Sh15,000) for an identity card instead of the normal $45 (Sh4,500).
One of them said that Kenyans living in Kansas were asked to raise at least Sh6 million for the embassy officials to travel to the city to issue the vital documents on October 6th and 7th failure to which the event would be cancelled. Kenyan Parents in USA, a Kenyan Diaspora group, will be hosting the exercise.
In a similar exercise recently held in Atlanta, many Kenyans said they were charged almost double the fee.
“In addition, there is a large number of diaspora who cannot travel to DC or even anywhere else as they lack travel papers," Githae told Kenya News Satellite
"It is our duty and responsibility to assist and help this group of Kenyan diaspora,” said Githae.
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This is broad daylight theft imported straight from Kenya. If these are the kind of people who are representing us we are in deep deep dudu. This embassy does not answer calls, does not solve issues facing Kenyans and all you hear are parties parties on 12th December, June 1st ONLY in DC. Bure Bure kabisa. No better if this embassy was operating from river road Nrb.
Modern technology can accommodate completion of a passport application without the need for a physical presence. Finger prints may be obtained through a bona-fide identity verification company, a more attractive option than taking people's hard earned money as your compensation for doing what you are already hired to do. knowing the reputation and culture of corruption involving Kenya government workers, it's easy to understand the scepticism expressed by Kenyans in Kansas.
How about "Mr. they can eat rats" you provide us with a report. Please include a budget, actual income and expenses and the services you rendered. Do not be sparing on the details.
Are you going to treat with the contempt your likes have for other Kenyans and tell we don't deserve an explanation because "hii pesa sio ya mama yako"
Thank you Jamama.
Show us your operations.
I called these morons recently about another future diaspora scam that was claiming to enroll NHIF Diaspora 'for their families'...WTH?
All I wanted was the numb-skulls in DC to confirm that NHIF, a government parastatal, had sent one Lucy to create a website www.winpamoja.com and start collecting money from Kenyans in the US. I called in one of their meetings...I asked what you ask of Githae - produce a recod of just 2 years...how has NHIF used funds to help Kenyans out? The mama then goes hysterical ati 'accountability is beyond my scope'...then how do you want us to contribute towards a scam, whose only contact is safaricom cellphone numbers...and all communication to be in Kenya. That is, ukiibiwa hapa, no recourse. Hizi namba za Kenya they change them daily like underwear.
The 5000 Diaspora members whose money looks like its lost with Ezeka...how are the pigs in DC helping Diaspora?
Why can't they hire Diaspora to work in their embassy?
Diaspora: We are going to make noise to get things done.
I said and will say it again with social media you better get approval before you drain Kenyans amy extra coin..talk of Logistics?? Sasa if you need do sensors in Kenya or issue ID In remote Kenya..Turkana. Garsen do you ask the Kenyans to meet the cost?? Budget..members of Parliament even senate have approval and budget to travel even go to World cup..why not issuance of essential documents..in summary you have failed to represent us fairly you could have submitted budget request to meet the same your term should end give someone a chance..I aint spending any extra dime..it is not a favour it is an obligation to serve all Kenyan Mr. Githae .Uhuru/Ruto invest on. Digital well versed Kenyan there is a lot to gain from the diaspora USA..I see nothing tried to search any forums ni kama everbody by himself God for us all..NO NO..Lets create good room to empower our Kenyan Community.
Why are we responsible of paying for “Logistics”? Asking people in U.S. Ksh.15,000 while the normal charge is Ksh. 4,500 is quite ridiculous. Where is it classified on National Registration Bureau that Diasporans pay more money? Your Embassy is in United States to serve all Kenyans living there and that should be funded by Kenyan government. This sounds like a Scam to me and Bribery! And, the DC staff members are so rude, they serve people like they are still in Kenya. What’s the purpose of the Embassy being here if it can’t serve it’s citizens legitimately?
KISIMA CHA MAARIFA: SULUHISHO.
Naiomba serikali ya Kenya na wafanyi kazi katika afisi za ubalozi zitumie teknolojia ya kisasa ili kuharakisha miradi (projects) kazini.
Pia naiomba serikali ya Kenya na wafanyi kazi wote katika afisi za ubalozi wa Kenya ulimwenguni kote wajitahidi (make an effort) kusoma gazeti la Mwakilishi na kusikiliza maoni ya wananchi.
"ELIMU HAINA MWISHO."
Wewe wacha kuomba omba serikali. Demand for services. Diaspora have a duty to demand for accountability.
http://kenyanparentsinusa.org/ looks like the extra fees is private fess not GVT
Every month politicians come to USA for brainstorming on how to fish Nile Perch. Which is cheaper to ship Kenya politicians from Kenya to USA or to Ship your gang from DC to Kansas? The same government is footing the bill. With social media you cannot get away with this one.
Copy and paste url...read about how the same Embassy and Ambassador is in court on millions missing from Visa Stamps to enter Kenya. Auditor General Ouko caught it.
Ouko reveals theft of Sh1.5bn visas in Kenyan embassies
SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2016 18:59
Washington DC-based ambassador Robinson Githae whose mission is linked to passport breach. PHOTO | FILE Washington DC-based ambassador Robinson Githae whose mission is linked to passport breach. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
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Several foreign missions cannot account for visa stickers and passports worth Sh1.5 billion, reflecting the poor record keeping in embassies that has paved the way for fraudulent dealings.
SUNDAY, JULY 10, 2016 18:59
Washington DC-based ambassador Robinson Githae whose mission is linked to passport breach. PHOTO | FILE Washington DC-based ambassador Robinson Githae whose mission is linked to passport breach. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Several foreign missions cannot account for visa stickers and passports worth Sh1.5 billion, reflecting the poor record keeping in embassies that has paved the way for fraudulent dealings.
Auditor-General Edward Ouko said the Department of Immigration can only account for Sh1.5 billion passports and stickers against documents worth Sh2.9 billion delivered to the embassies in the two years to June last year.
“The resultant difference of Sh1,472,489,638 has not been accounted for,” Mr Ouko said in the financial statements of the State department of Interior for the year to June 2015.
“In these circumstances, total revenue collected, excluding certificate of good conduct, identity cards and others of Sh2.99 billion, differs with the Sh1.52 billion reflected in the financial statements.”
Of the Sh2.9 billion, passports worth Sh268.5 million were delivered to the foreign missions while the embassies received visa stickers worth Sh2.7 billion.
The stickers are issued to foreigners who need visas to enter Kenya while the passports are issued to Kenyans in the diaspora.
Mr Ouko said there are no records to show the passports and visas were issued.
“The passports were not recorded at the embassies counter receipt book registers and also not produced for physical audit verification,” said Mr Ouko.
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Embassies linked to the passport breach include prime missions like Washington DC, London, Berlin and Pretoria.
Former Finance minister Robinson Njeru Githae is the Kenyan ambassador in Washington DC, Joseph Magut (Berlin) and Lazarus Amayo (London).
They were appointed in August 2014, but the period under the Auditor-General probe stretched to July 2013 and covered the first two years of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.
Kenya has a history of multi-million dollar scandals that have failed to result in high-profile convictions. This has angered the public, who accuse top officials of acting with impunity and encouraging graft by those in lower posts.
Fraudulent dealings
Businesses also often cite pervasive corruption as one of the biggest obstacles to investment.
Faced with a growing public outcry last year, Mr Kenyatta promised to root out corruption in the government.
Five ministers stepped aside in 2015 after they faced corruption investigations and then lost their jobs in a reshuffle. Two former ministers are facing trial.
But Kenyans have focused more on pursuing local scandals, making it easier for embassy staff to engage in fraudulent dealings, especially flawed procurement.
Taxpayers have lost billions of shillings through controversial purchase of properties by the Foreign Affairs ministry.
Embassy staff have either disregarded valuation estimates by the Land ministry or failed to involve experts to justify disbursement of public money from the Treasury.
In 2010, senior officials at the Foreign Affairs ministry stepped aside amid a scandal involving the alleged misuse of funds for several land deals abroad.
The ministry is alleged to have refused an offer of land from the Japanese government in central Tokyo for a new embassy, opting instead for a building further away, against the advice of an estate agency.
Kenya lost $14m (Sh1.4 billion) during the land deal.
Money was also allegedly lost on embassy deals in Egypt, Nigeria, Pakistan, Belgium and Pretoria, where officials spent millions of shillings to buy properties that were condemned for demolition after purchase.