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Kenyan passport for sale? Uproar as controversial foreigners get key document
The Kenyan passport.
A storm is brewing over allegations that the Kenyan passports has been issued to some controversial foreigners in questionable circumstances, turning the spotlight on one of the country's most critical government services.
On Friday, the United Opposition team and former Chief Justice David Maraga demanded answers on the scandal.
This, as lawyer Wahinya Peter on Friday, using the access to information provisions, wrote to the Immigration Department and demanded details regarding 28 foreigners who he said have recently been issued Kenyan passports.
Speaking in Nakuru, Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka and other opposition leaders said that allegations of issuance of Kenyan passports and other travel documents to suspicious characters, including a Sudanese militia leader, risked placing the country in diplomatic difficulty and exposing citizens to heightened scrutiny abroad.
“It is so shameful that the government is issuing crucial documents to militias. They are killing people in their countries and escaping to our country. We cannot allow Kenya to be turned into a safe haven for individuals whose activities threaten peace and stability in the region. The government must come clean and assure Kenyans that our immigration systems have not been compromised,” said Mr Musyoka.
Matiang’i: Protect Kenya's name
Dr Fred Matiang’i, who was the Interior minister in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration, questioned the integrity of the country’s immigration and security vetting systems, saying travel documents are sensitive national instruments that should only be issued after thorough background checks.
He said that Kenya has long enjoyed a reputation as a stable democracy and a key diplomatic hub in East Africa, and any perception that it is facilitating the movement of militia-linked individuals could erode trust among international partners.
"Our identity and image as a country because criminals are being issued passports and National IDs easily. The integrity of our passport is a matter of national pride and security. If there are loopholes, they must be sealed immediately and those responsible held accountable. This is not about politics; it is about protecting Kenya’s name and ensuring our national security is not put at risk,” Dr Matiang’i said.
Presidential aspirant and former Chief Justice David Maraga has also demanded that the government revoke a passport alleged to have been issued to Algoney Hamdan Dagalo, the brother of the commander of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF), calling it a threat to Kenya’s sovereignty and regional neutrality. The information came into the limelight after the United States listed him among sanctioned individuals, whose details included their passports.
Mr Maraga, the leader of the United Green Movement party, condemned the disclosure that official travel documents had been issued to Mr Algoney as “disturbing”, warning that Kenya’s involvement risks enabling those fighting in Sudan’s ongoing civil war.
“I vehemently condemn the alarming revelation that Algoney Hamdan Dagalo Musa, the younger brother of the commander of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan 'Hemedti' Dagalo, and a key figure in procuring weapons for the RSF’s devastating campaign in Sudan, holds a Kenyan passport,” said Mr Maraga in a statement.
Algoney, a Dubai-based businessman and senior logistics operative for the RSF, is subject to sanctions imposed by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the European Union.
Becoming a legal citizen
In Kenya, to obtain a Kenyan passport as a foreigner, you must first become a legal citizen, typically requiring at least seven years of lawful, continuous residency with a valid permit. You must apply for a Certificate of Registration of Citizenship, prove proficiency in Swahili or English, and show economic or social contributions to Kenya.
The Nation posed questions to the Director General Evelyn Cheluget on the allegations.
We wanted to know how many non-citizens hold Kenyan passports; What criteria was used for issuing passports to non-Kenyan citizens; what thresholds and safeguards are put in such processes; and what discretion does the department have in issuing such passports.
By the time of publishing this article, Ms Cheluget had not responded to the questions sent to her known numbers.
For Kenyan citizenship, applicants are required to apply via the eCitizen portal, submit biometric data in person, and provide supporting documents such as a birth certificate, national ID, and proof of legal residence.
Mr Maraga argued that the disclosure of foreigners walking around with Kenyan passports, which has been highlighted by international and local media, not only undermines Kenya’s asserted neutrality in Sudan’s civil war, but also exposes potential complicity in enabling atrocities, including the assault on El Fasher which United Nations experts have described as bearing the ‘hallmarks of genocide’.
He added that if this were true, it would not merely be a clerical error, but a profound constitutional crisis.
This, he said, would reveal dangerous ties to individuals associated with death and destruction, as well as potential violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.
Demand: Access to information
Meanwhile, a lawyer has written and demanded access to information regarding 28 foreigners who have recently been issued Kenyan passports.
Wahinya Peter of Wahinya Advocates, in his letter to the Director-General, Immigration Services, said that he was generally invoking the right to access information held by the state under Article 35 of the Constitution and the Access to Information Act. Such requests often arise in investigations into fraudulent document acquisition.
“I have, as of this morning, pursuant to Article 35 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, and Sections 4, 6, and 8 of the Access to Information Act, 2016, I hereby make a formal application for access to the following information and records held by your department or related public entities under your oversight,” his letter read in part.
According to the advocate, he wants copies of all applications, supporting documents, payment receipts, security/vetting clearance reports and approval memos and correspondence, including any expedited express passports processed through State House directives or special clearance, as referenced in public disclosures circulating on social media and news platforms since February 2026 for the issuance of Kenyan passports.
Apart from the RSF official, the request also includes other foreigners suspected of holding Kenyan passports.
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