Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister returns Kenyan Passport amid travel document dispute

Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Haji has surrendered his Kenyan passport to Kenya’s Deputy Ambassador to Somalia, Elias Bare Shill, in Mogadishu, days after he was reportedly denied entry into Kenya over questions surrounding his travel documents.

The Deputy Prime Minister handed over the passport on Monday, bringing renewed attention to the issue of dual travel documents and the political sensitivities surrounding citizenship and national identity between the neighbouring countries.

The development reportedly followed remarks by Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who warned government officials during a Cabinet meeting against obtaining citizenship documents through improper means.

The President’s comments have added to the wider public debate over the use of foreign citizenship and travel documents by Somali public officials, particularly amid heightened sensitivities surrounding relations between Somalia and Kenya.

Following the handover, Deputy Prime Minister Jibril was quoted as saying that his Somali passport was “sufficient for him” , signalling his decision to relinquish the Kenyan document.

The episode comes at a time when Somalia and Kenya continue to maintain close diplomatic, economic and security ties, while issues involving citizenship, migration and cross-border movement remain politically sensitive.

The surrender of the passport is expected to ease some of the immediate concerns surrounding the dispute, although questions about the circumstances that led to the travel difficulties remain part of the broader discussion over official travel documents and citizenship.

Mustaqbal