The Immigration Department has opposed the enactment of the proposed Huduma Bill 2021, terming it retrogressive.
Appearing before the Administration and National Security Committee of the National Security Committee of the National Assembly, Robert Aswani of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) said the proposed law was unconstitutional and will diminish the gains made in the department.
“This Bill is a recipe for chaos. It will be a blunder to have it enacted in its current form,” Aswani told the committee.
Aswani cautioned that the Bill will be detrimental as the directorate of Immigration is well versed with matters to do with the sector.
The controversial Bill proposes key amendments on nine laws, among them the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act that establishes the Immigration department.
The Bill, which is in its first reading, seeks to establish the National Integration Identity Management System (NIIMS), a central database where Government agencies and other entities can access the database in the provision of services.
The Bill seeks to remove the whole directorate of Immigration services including abolishing the position of Director-General of Immigration Department and replacing immigration officers with NIIMS officers.
It also recommends establishing a NIIMS coordination committee where the Director-General of Immigration is not included.