A fresh diplomatic dispute is unfolding between Kenya and Somalia after Nairobi blocked two senior Somali government officials from entering the country, with the incidents now linked to investigations into Kenyan passports suspected to have been acquired fraudulently by politically connected individuals.
The latest incident involved Somalia's State Minister at the Presidency, Abshir Bukhaari, who was reportedly denied entry into Kenya at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Monday before being sent back to Mogadishu.
Bukhaari's case came barely a month after Somalia's Second Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Haji was also turned away at the same airport, marking the second such incident to strain relations between the neighbouring countries.
Reports indicate that Haji arrived with a valid Somali diplomatic passport and a Kenyan entry visa. However, immigration officials at JKIA reportedly stopped him after suspecting that he also possessed a Kenyan passport believed to have been obtained illegally.
The latest developments have emerged as Kenyan authorities intensify investigations into Kenyan passports allegedly acquired fraudulently by Somali government officials and other politically connected individuals.
The two entry denials prompted Somalia to summon Kenya's Ambassador to Mogadishu, Kubai Iringo, for consultations. Mogadishu later recalled its Ambassador Jabril Abdulle as the diplomatic dispute escalated.
Attempts by the Star to obtain comments from the two ambassadors were unsuccessful, as calls and messages went unanswered.
The issue was also among matters discussed during a meeting between Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs CS Musalia Mudavadi and Somalia's Foreign Minister Abdisalam Ali on the sidelines of the 49th African Union Executive Council meeting in Addis Ababa.
A statement released after the talks said the two ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation on immigration management, consular affairs and cross-border movement. Neither side, however, directly connected the discussions to the airport incidents.
Diplomatic sources in Nairobi say the investigations now extend beyond the two officials and cover senior government figures, politically connected individuals and businesspeople suspected of obtaining Kenyan travel documents through fraudulent means.
The same sources say authorities are also considering travel restrictions and asset freezes against individuals found to have acquired the documents illegally as investigations continue.
Horn of Africa analyst and researcher Abdi Rashid said information from his contacts in Kenya suggests the investigations could affect a large number of Somali officials.
"The Kenyan Immigration, Intelligence and Security Services are all now working in coordination to quietly cancel these IDs and passports," Abdi said.
He added that between 40 and 50 per cent of senior and middle-level government officials serving in Mogadishu could be holding Kenyan passports or national identity cards that were "fraudulently acquired".
The heightened investigations are also unfolding against the backdrop of Somalia's unresolved political crisis, where efforts to reach agreement on the country's electoral process remain incomplete.
Diplomatic sources say concerns have been growing within the international community over the lack of an inclusive political settlement, leading some governments to increase scrutiny of politically exposed individuals.
Although there is no confirmed link between the Kenyan investigations and developments elsewhere, similar action has also been reported in Europe.
According to Africa Intelligence, European Union countries have tightened visa requirements for Somali nationals.
"This decision, justified by Mogadishu's lack of cooperation, also follows the fallout from a secret agreement with Stockholm, the revelations of which are rocking the Swedish political establishment in the run-up to the elections," the publication said on Wednesday.