Diplomatic relations between Kenya and Somalia have come under fresh attention after a new directive from Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud regarding government officials who hold Kenyan travel and identification documents.
President Mohamud on Thursday, July 30, instructed all cabinet ministers and government officials in Somalia who possess Kenyan passports or Kenyan national identity cards to surrender those documents without delay.
The order was reportedly issued during a Cabinet meeting as concerns over immigration matters between the two neighbouring countries continue to grow.
According to reports from Somalia, the affected officials were told they must decide whether to remain in government service or retain their Kenyan passports. The directive is also said to apply to other government bureaucrats found to be holding Kenyan identification documents.
The decision has reportedly triggered debate within the Somali government. Some ministers are said to have questioned the directive, arguing that Somalia’s laws recognise dual citizenship and therefore allow citizens to hold more than one nationality. Despite these concerns, the order was reportedly communicated to all affected officials.
The directive follows recent incidents involving senior Somali leaders travelling to Kenya. Reports indicate that Somalia’s State Minister Abshir Bukhaari and Second Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Haji were denied entry into Kenya after arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The reported denial was linked to questions surrounding the travel documents they allegedly possessed.
Reports further suggest that Kenyan authorities have increased scrutiny of Somali government officials travelling with Kenyan passports. Sources claim that about 30 Somali officials have been placed on a watchlist at Kenyan airports, with several reportedly being denied entry over the past few weeks.
While these reports have attracted widespread attention, Kenyan authorities have not publicly confirmed details of the alleged watchlist.
The situation prompted diplomatic engagement between the two countries. On Wednesday, Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi met Somalia’s Foreign Minister Abdisalam Ali in Addis Ababa to discuss the immigration concerns and find ways of reducing tensions.
Following the discussions, both sides agreed to improve cooperation on consular matters and work together to ensure smoother movement of citizens and government officials travelling between the two countries.
The talks were viewed as an effort to prevent the issue from affecting the long-standing relationship between Kenya and Somalia.
The developments have also revived public debate over claims that some foreign nationals may have obtained Kenyan identity documents illegally. Such allegations have circulated for several months, raising questions about the country’s immigration systems and document issuance procedures.
However, the Kenyan government has consistently dismissed claims that foreign nationals are being issued Kenyan national identity cards or passports unlawfully.
Immigration Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang has maintained that non-Kenyans living in Kenya are only issued with alien identification documents, which are meant for administrative and legal purposes and do not grant Kenyan citizenship.