By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, June 26, 2026 - Kenya has deported Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister after immigration officials at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) allegedly linked him to a Kenyan passport, setting the stage for what could become a major diplomatic row between the two neighbouring countries.
According to a police incident report seen by this publication, Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Jibril Abdirashid Haji, arrived at JKIA's Terminal 2 from Mogadishu aboard Saacid Airline Flight X20680 on 24 June using a Somali diplomatic passport and a valid Kenyan visa.
The report states that "during the immigration routine clearance at immigration desk, he was suspected to have fraudulently acquired a Kenyan passport."
Police further state that "when interrogated, 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."
According to the report, the senior Somali official was subsequently "held at VIP Lounge in Terminal 2" before being issued with a ticket on Daallo Airline Flight D3301 for his return to Mogadishu.
The report adds that Mr Haji "departed today on 25/06/2026 at 0645hrs with no incident reported."
The police document identifies the official as the holder of Somali diplomatic passport No. D00018434, valid until 18 September 2029.
The deportation of such a high-ranking government official is highly unusual and is likely to attract regional and international attention given the close political, economic, and security ties between Kenya and Somalia.
More from Kenya
The two countries are key partners in regional security operations against the Al-Shabaab militant group, while Kenya hosts a large Somali business community, refugees, and regional diplomatic missions.
If confirmed by both governments, the incident could trigger diplomatic consultations between Nairobi and Mogadishu over the treatment of one of Somalia's most senior government officials and the allegations surrounding the purported acquisition of Kenyan citizenship documents.
By Thursday evening, neither the Kenyan government nor Somalia's Federal Government had publicly commented on the incident or the allegations contained in the police report.
The circumstances under which the alleged Kenyan passport was acquired, and whether any criminal investigations will follow, also remained unclear.
Any official response from Nairobi or Mogadishu is expected to determine whether the incident develops into a broader diplomatic dispute or is resolved through diplomatic channels.