Kenya has deported Somalia’s Second Deputy Prime Minister, Jibril Abdirashid Haji, after immigration officials accused him of holding a Kenyan passport that authorities believe may have been obtained fraudulently, according to a Kenyan police report.
Ciyaaraha Soomaaliya
The incident, which unfolded at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, marks a rare diplomatic episode involving a senior serving official from Somalia.
According to Kenyan authorities, Mr Haji arrived in Nairobi on Wednesday using a Somali diplomatic passport and carrying what officials described as a valid Kenyan visa.
During routine immigration checks, officials allegedly linked him to a Kenyan passport that investigators suspect had been acquired unlawfully.
Faahfaahinta
Authorities said Mr Haji was questioned about the document but declined to surrender it, reportedly stating that he would only present it before a court.
He was subsequently held in the airport’s VIP section before being placed on a return flight to Mogadishu early on Thursday.
Neither the Somali government nor Mr Haji had publicly commented on the allegations at the time of publication.
Falanqaynta
The deportation comes at a sensitive moment in relations between Kenya and Somalia, which maintain close cooperation on security, trade and regional integration.
Kenya is among Somalia’s key partners in East Africa and hosts a large Somali community. Nairobi also serves as an important commercial and financial hub for Somali businesses, while the Port of Mombasa remains a major route for regional trade.
The two countries have also worked closely in efforts to counter the Al-Shabaab insurgency, with Kenya contributing troops for years to regional peace support missions in Somalia.
Wararka.so waxay kuu soo tebineysaa wararka ugu dambeeyey ee Soomaaliya iyo caalamka. Si aad ula socoto wararkii ugu dambeeyey, booqo boggayaga.
