Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister, Jibril Abdirashid Haji, has formally relinquished his Kenyan citizenship and handed over his Kenyan passport, becoming the first federal cabinet member to comply with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's recent directive.
The order, issued during a cabinet meeting in Mogadishu, mandates ministers holding Kenyan passports to either surrender them or resign from their government positions. Jibril submitted his Kenyan passport, national ID card, and birth certificate to Kenya's Deputy Ambassador to Somalia, Elias Bare Shill, at a ceremony in Mogadishu.
This directive comes amid heightened scrutiny by Kenyan immigration authorities, who in June deported Jibril after alleging irregularities with his Kenyan travel documents. The Deputy Prime Minister reportedly entered Kenya on a Somali diplomatic passport but was suspected of holding a Kenyan passport as well. He initially resisted surrendering the Kenyan document outside of a legal process.
During the cabinet meeting, some ministers expressed opposition to the directive, citing Somalia's recognition of dual citizenship and arguing no legal provision prohibits public officials from holding multiple nationalities. The disagreement highlighted divisions within the government over enforcing the president’s order and leaves uncertain how many ministers will comply.
Jibril's compliance marks a significant step in Somalia-Kenya relations, which continue to involve cooperation on security and trade despite recent tensions over travel document verifications. It remains to be seen whether other cabinet members will follow suit or challenge the directive further.
