Mogadishu (Somalia Today) – Somalia’s cabinet appointed a new immigration chief on Monday, replacing his predecessor after a short tenure marked by controversy over the rollout of an electronic visa system.
In an extraordinary session chaired by Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre, the Council of Ministers approved Hussein Kasim Yusuf as the new director general of the Immigration and Citizenship Agency, acting on a recommendation from the Ministry of Internal Security.
Yusuf replaces Mustafa Dhuhulow, whose 16-month stint at the agency underscored the challenges Somalia faces as it tries to modernise public administration and strengthen federal authority after decades of conflict and state collapse.
The leadership change places Yusuf at the helm of one of Somalia’s most sensitive civilian institutions.
He takes charge at a time when the federal government is trying to tighten border controls, sustain newly digitised public services and project central authority amid persistent political tensions.
Dhuhulow had held the post since December 2024. His appointment drew attention at the time because of his political profile.
Dhuhulow had previously emerged as a vocal critic of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, and observers widely saw his nomination as part of a broader effort by the administration to draw opposition figures into government structures.
The government appeared to pursue that approach as it sought to shore up political stability while pressing ahead with a major military campaign against the Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab insurgency.
E-visa rollout
However, Dhuhulow’s time in office soon became closely associated with Somalia’s push to digitise its visa and immigration systems.
Last year, the federal government formally rolled out an electronic visa platform, requiring most foreign travellers to apply online before entering Somalia.
Officials presented the reform as an important modernisation measure for a country seeking to rebuild institutions, align administrative systems with international norms and improve the screening of foreign arrivals for security purposes.
The rollout quickly triggered political disputes with Somaliland and Puntland after the requirement also affected passengers travelling there.
Authorities in both Somaliland and Puntland rejected the arrangement, accusing Mogadishu of using the platform to impose federal authority over matters they said also fell within their jurisdiction.
Data breach
The controversy took a sharper turn later when a data breach exposed applicants’ personal information.
The cybersecurity lapse drew criticism of the government’s handling of digital reforms and added an international dimension to the issue, with foreign governments warning that personal details submitted through the Somali visa portal may have been compromised.
The leaked material surfaced through anonymous social media accounts, some of which claimed responsibility and said they had acted out of anger over the application of the e-visa system to Somaliland-bound travellers.
The identities of the hackers were not independently confirmed.
The episode intensified pressure on the immigration agency and turned what officials had presented as a symbol of Somali modernisation into a political burden.
At the time, Dhuhulow publicly defended the platform, saying digitising immigration procedures was an essential step for sovereignty, security and administrative reform.
Despite the troubled rollout, the federal government kept the system in place and continued to present it as a central part of its wider effort to modernise border management and improve transparency.
The new immigration chief, Hussein Kasim Yusuf, now faces the task of navigating entrenched regional tensions while ensuring the country’s digitised border system remains both functional and secure.
