25,000 Kenyans Have Lost Dual Citizenships Since 2010 – Matiang’i

At least 25,000 Kenyans holding dual citizenship have lost their Kenyan citizenship based on the repealed Constitution, Interior CS Matiang’i has revealed.

However, the CS said that over 5,000 of them have already applied to regain it as required by the Kenya Citizenship and Immigration Act of 2011.

“Applications are done online through eFNS portal. We have already set efficient systems in place and written to the Attorney General requesting him to engage Parliament with a view to amending the Act and streamline the process even further,” said Matiang’i.

“The 60-day RRI we’ve launched today will ensure expeditious processing of applications of Kenyans who wish to regain their citizenship having lost it due to the restrictions of the repealed constitution on dual citizenship.”

Kenya is also issuing spouses of Kenyan citizens and their descendants with legal identity documents to stabilize the families.

500 qualified foreign investors will also receive lawful permanent residence status to spur Kenyan economic growth.

According to the Constitution, a person who is a citizen by birth but has ceased to be a citizen because he/she acquired citizenship of another country, is entitled upon application to regain his or her Kenyan citizenship.

Article 17 of the Constitution stipulates that if a person acquired citizenship by registration, the citizenship may be revoked if the person acquired the citizenship by fraud, false representation or concealment of any material fact.

Read: Miguna Accuses State Operatives Of Attempting To Erase His Kenyan Roots, Citizenship On Wikipedia

Also, the citizenship may be revoked if the person has, during any war in which Kenya was engaged, unlawfully traded or communicated with an enemy or been engaged in or associated with any business that was knowingly carried on in such a manner as to assist an enemy in that war;

The person could also lose citizenship if he has, within five years after registration,  been convicted of an offence and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of three years or longer.

The citizenship of a person who was presumed to be a citizen by birth may be revoked if the citizenship was acquired by fraud, false representation or concealment of any material fact by any person or the nationality or parentage of the person becomes known, and reveals that the person was a citizen of another country.

A citizen by birth does not lose citizenship by acquiring the citizenship of another country.

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