NAIROBI, Kenya — A fresh diplomatic dispute appears to be emerging between Kenya and Somalia following reports that Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Jibril Abdirashid Haji, was denied entry into Kenya and deported over allegations linked to the possession of a Kenyan passport believed to have been obtained fraudulently.
The incident reportedly occurred on Wednesday evening at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), where Haji arrived aboard a Saacid Airlines flight from Mogadishu.
According to immigration sources, the Somali deputy prime minister presented a valid Somali diplomatic passport and an entry visa upon arrival. However, immigration officials allegedly flagged him after receiving information suggesting that he was also in possession of a Kenyan passport suspected to have been acquired irregularly.
Sources familiar with the matter claim that Haji acknowledged possessing the Kenyan passport but declined requests by immigration officials to surrender the document, arguing that any dispute concerning its validity should be addressed through legal channels.
The disagreement reportedly led to his temporary detention at the JKIA VIP Lounge as immigration authorities conducted further inquiries into the matter.
Following the standoff, Haji was reportedly escorted onto a Daallo Airlines flight bound for Mogadishu, effectively denying him entry into Kenya.
A police report seen by local media indicates that the Somali official departed Kenya on June 25, 2026, at approximately 6:45 a.m.
“He departed on 25/06/2026 at 0645hrs with no incident reported,” the report stated.
By the time of publication, neither the Kenyan government nor the Somali government had issued an official statement regarding the incident.
However, a senior official within Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reportedly confirmed that the deportation took place.
The development has raised questions about potential diplomatic implications, given Haji’s senior position within Somalia’s government and the close political, economic, and security ties between Nairobi and Mogadishu.
A senior government official familiar with the matter said Kenyan authorities remain concerned about the growing number of foreign nationals allegedly obtaining Kenyan travel documents through fraudulent means.
The official noted that investigations into networks involved in the illegal acquisition of Kenyan passports have intensified in recent years, amid efforts to strengthen the integrity of the country’s immigration and citizenship systems.
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Authorities are now reportedly investigating the circumstances under which the alleged Kenyan passport linked to the Somali official was obtained.
The incident comes at a sensitive time for relations between Kenya and Somalia, which have experienced periods of cooperation as well as diplomatic tensions over security, maritime boundaries, and regional political issues.
Should the reports be formally confirmed by both governments, the matter could prompt diplomatic consultations aimed at clarifying the circumstances surrounding the deputy prime minister’s treatment and the allegations regarding his travel documents.
For now, officials on both sides have remained publicly silent as investigations continue.
