Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Haji has surrendered his Kenyan passport, weeks after he was deported from Nairobi following questions by Kenyan immigration officials over the travel document at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Haji handed over the passport to officials at the Kenyan Embassy in Mogadishu on Monday, saying the move was a voluntary administrative decision that reflects his commitment and loyalty to the Federal Republic of Somalia.
The Deputy Prime Minister maintained that the Kenyan passport had been legally obtained and used in full compliance with Kenyan laws and procedures.
He emphasized that the decision to relinquish the document was neither prompted by a dispute with Kenyan authorities nor made at the request of the Kenyan government, but was instead a personal choice consistent with his role as a senior public official.
“The passport was genuine and lawfully obtained, and its use fully complied with Kenyan laws and procedures,” Haji said, describing the handover as “purely administrative.”
He also expressed gratitude to Kenya for its longstanding hospitality towards Somali citizens, noting that the relationship between the two neighbouring countries remains important.
“My commitment to the Federal Republic of Somalia remains unwavering,” he said, adding that surrendering the passport underscores his dedication to public service while reaffirming his respect for Kenya and his desire to strengthen bilateral ties.
The announcement comes just over a month after Haji was deported from Kenya following an encounter with immigration officials at JKIA.
According to a police incident report filed on June 26, Haji arrived in Nairobi from Mogadishu aboard a Saacid Airlines flight using a valid Somali diplomatic passport and a Kenyan visa.
During immigration clearance, officials questioned him over what they described as a fraudulently acquired Kenyan passport.
The report states that Haji acknowledged possessing the passport but declined to surrender it, insisting he would only produce it before a court of law.
“He admitted and when asked to produce the passport, he declined to surrender and claimed that he can only produce it in a court of law,” the report states.
Authorities subsequently held him at the VIP lounge in Terminal 2 before facilitating his return to Mogadishu the following day aboard a Daallo Airlines flight.
The development comes amid increased scrutiny of senior Somali government officials holding Kenyan passports after reports that Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud directed public officials with Kenyan travel documents to surrender them or resign from government positions.
