Kenya launches operation to flush out illegal foreign workers

MOMBASA, Kenya, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan authorities said Friday they have launched an operation to flush out foreigners who are working in the country illegally.

Fred Matiang'i, the Interior Cabinet Secretary, also issued a 60-day ultimatum for all foreigners working in Kenya to regularize their permits.

"We are going to give an electronic work permit card. We will give a window of 60 days to give a card to everyone who is supposed to be working in Kenya genuinely," said Matiang'i said during a meeting with Parliamentary Security Committee in Mombasa on Friday.

He said the government is going to tighten the process of issuance of those permits, noting that the process is going to end up with the digital register that can be searched at any point.

Matiang'i said unemployment levels in the country are at an all time high and Kenyans need to be cushioned from those who take jobs that they can do themselves.

The CS said there are some 34,000 foreigners working in Kenya according to government records but noted that the number could be higher than 100,000. "This means that there are people doing jobs that Kenyans can do," Matiang'i said.

He also revealed that the government will consolidate all identification documents into one to reduce the inconvenience of having to carry many cards.

Matiang'i said the single card will bear all personal data such as identification card (ID) and driving license numbers as well as information from the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) and the National Social Security Fund (NSSF). Enditem