The Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs has moved to clarify that there was no irregularity in the decision to grant Kenyan passports to foreigners.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said this is not the first time Nairobi is granting foreigners the critical travel documents, especially to nationals from neighbouring war-torn countries.
The PS said the provision of passports to individuals from Sudan linked to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia commonly known as Janjaweed was part of President William Ruto’s efforts to bring stability to one of Kenya’s regional neighbours.
Sing’Oei said that the documents are not issued haphazardly as it has been alleged, but applicants must meet a certain threshold of being in exceptional distress.
“I want to speak quite categorically; the first, passports are not dished willingly. It is my very strong view that under exceptional circumstances, people in distress may be allowed to travel using our passports,” he said last night while appearing on Citizen TV’s JKLive for an interview.
The PS said the fact that certain individuals may have obtained the documents doesn’t indict the department of immigration or suggest abuse of authority, adding that Kenya has a history of rendering support to its neighbours who are in distress.
He explained that exceptional circumstances arising from conflicts can sometimes necessitate temporary travel facilitation for affected persons who may not possess valid travel documents while fleeing violence.
“This is not a new thing; this has happened because fleeing conflicts don’t actually have documents. It is not unusual, given our peace mediation role, that to facilitate travel, it might be possible that certain individuals are issued Kenyan passports. That is not to say that passports are being thrown around like candy,” Sing’Oei said.
Earlier this week, as Kenya hosted the Africa Forward Summit, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua held a press conference in which he released a list of 21 individuals whom he claimed are warlords and international criminals in possession of Kenyan passports.
The government has, however, defended its position.
Principal Secretary for Foreign Affairs Korir Sing’Oei said Kenya continues to provide shelter to people displaced by conflict, as it has done for refugees over the years.
He said the conflict in Sudan has forced many political and civil society actors to flee, with some seeking refuge in Kenya and other neighbouring countries.
“As Kenya, we are committed to supporting peace mediation in Sudan… working with other Heads of State under the IGAD framework to find a solution to the problem,” Sing’Oei said.
