Somali president orders ministers to surrender Kenyan passports amid diplomatic tensions

Saturday August 1, 2026

Mogadishu (HOL) — Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has ordered cabinet ministers and senior government officials holding Kenyan passports or national identity cards to surrender the documents immediately.

The directive was issued during a Cabinet meeting chaired by the President in Mogadishu on Thursday, according to government sources familiar with the discussions.

Officials affected by the order were instructed to choose between retaining their government positions or keeping their Kenyan passports and identification documents, the sources said.

The move comes despite Somalia’s citizenship laws allowing dual citizenship. Several ministers reportedly questioned the directive, arguing that holding dual nationality is permitted under Somali law.

The order follows that Somalia’s State Minister Abshir Bukhaari and Second Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Haji were recently denied entry upon arrival at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) after Kenyan immigration officials raised questions about travel documents they possessed.

The incident has heightened diplomatic tensions between the two neighboring countries. Somali media reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Kenya’s ambassador to Mogadishu to seek an explanation over the treatment of the senior officials. Kenyan authorities have not publicly confirmed that such a meeting took place.

The denial of entry has also fueled scrutiny over the alleged acquisition of Kenyan passports and national identity cards by senior Somali officials. According to reports, Kenyan authorities are investigating possible irregularities in the issuance of the documents.

Sources familiar with the matter said approximately 30 Somali government officials have been placed on a watchlist at Kenyan airports, with several reportedly denied entry in recent weeks. Neither the Somali nor Kenyan governments have publicly confirmed the existence of such a list.

Relations between Somalia and Kenya have generally improved in recent years after earlier diplomatic disputes over maritime boundaries and regional security. The two countries continue to cooperate closely in counterterrorism operations against al-Shabab, while Kenya remains one of Somalia’s largest trading partners and hosts a significant Somali diaspora.