Mogadishu (Somalia Today) – Somalia’s deputy prime minister has rejected allegations linked to his recent travel to Kenya, after reports said Kenyan authorities deported him from Nairobi over a disputed passport and related security concerns.
Jibril Haji Abdirashid said claims circulating on social media were “false, baseless, and unsupported by fact”, and insisted he had not acted against the interests of either Somalia or Kenya.
“I reject these allegations in full,” he said in a statement.
“At no time did I engage in any activity aimed at undermining the security, sovereignty, stability, or territorial integrity of the Republic of Kenya or the Federal Republic of Somalia.”
The statement did not directly identify the allegations, but it followed reports that Kenyan immigration officials denied him entry at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
Reuters, citing a Kenyan police report, reported that Abdirashid arrived in Nairobi on June 24 with a valid visa in his Somali diplomatic passport. Immigration officers then questioned him after they suspected he also held a Kenyan passport obtained fraudulently, the report said.
According to Reuters, the police report said Abdirashid declined to hand over the alleged Kenyan passport when questioned, saying he would only produce it before a court.
Kenyan media also reported that broader security claims had circulated after the incident, including allegations linked to the Kenya-Somalia border. No public evidence has been presented to support those claims.
Abdirashid said he had acted lawfully and in a manner that respected regional stability.
“I have carried out my public duties with full respect for the rule of law, regional peace, and good neighbourly relations,” he said.
Diplomatic tone
The deputy prime minister used much of his statement to praise Kenya, in an apparent attempt to prevent the episode from deepening into a wider diplomatic row.
“The Republic of Kenya remains one of the closest and most valued partners of the Federal Republic of Somalia,” he said.
He said Kenya had stood by Somalia during difficult periods, including by hosting Somali refugees, supporting humanitarian work, contributing to regional peace and security, and backing state-building efforts.
“These contributions merit recognition and appreciation,” he said.
Abdirashid also pointed to the social and commercial ties between the two neighbours.
“The people of Kenya and Somalia share deep historical, cultural, and family ties, as well as strong trade and regional connections,” he said.
“It serves the interests of both nations to strengthen this longstanding relationship.”
Kenya has long played a major role in Somalia’s security and humanitarian landscape.
It hosts a large Somali community and has contributed troops to African Union missions fighting Al-Shabaab, the Al-Qaeda-linked group that has waged an insurgency against Somalia’s government since 2007.
The Dadaab refugee complex in north-eastern Kenya was established in 1991, as Somalis fled state collapse and civil war. It remains one of the world’s best-known refugee settlements, with Somalis still forming the overwhelming majority of its population.
Border tensions
Kenya and Somalia share deep ties, but relations between Nairobi and Mogadishu have often moved between cooperation and tension.
Security remains a central concern for Kenya, which has suffered repeated Al-Shabaab attacks. Nairobi has kept tight controls along parts of the frontier, citing threats from militants, smuggling, and cross-border insecurity.
Earlier this month, Kenyan President William Ruto said he wanted to reopen the border with Somalia but warned that security concerns were continuing to slow the process.
“There is always a delicate balance between security and commerce, and we must protect both,” Ruto said during a media roundtable in Wajir.
The remarks reflected a wider challenge for both governments: how to expand trade and movement while managing persistent threats along the frontier.
Somalia’s admission as a full member of the East African Community in March 2024 added fresh weight to those efforts. Officials in both countries have framed the move as a chance to deepen trade, investment, infrastructure links and regional integration.
Abdirashid said he remained committed to strengthening cooperation with Kenya in “security, trade, investment, infrastructure, regional integration, and people-to-people engagement”.
He urged the public and media not to amplify unverified claims.
“I call on members of the public and the media to avoid spreading unverified claims,” he said.
“I reaffirm my commitment to peace, constitutional governance, regional cooperation, and constructive engagement with the Republic of Kenya.”
The incident now leaves both governments managing a sensitive political moment in a relationship that remains vital to security, trade, refugees and regional diplomacy.
