Kenya has reportedly deported Somali State Minister at the Presidency Abshir Bukhaari, making him the second senior Somali government official to be turned back from the country within days in a development that risks straining relations between Nairobi and Mogadishu.
According to Somali media reports, Bukhaari was denied entry after arriving at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) in Nairobi on Sunday and was subsequently returned to Mogadishu.
The reported deportation has sparked fresh debate over the state of relations between the two neighboring countries, coming only weeks after Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid was also reportedly denied entry into Kenya and sent back to Mogadishu.
Somali State Minister Deported
Somali media outlets said the latest incident involved Bukhaari, a senior figure within the Somali presidency.
The reports stated that Kenyan immigration authorities stopped him upon arrival before placing him on a return flight.
Government sources quoted by Somali media indicated that Somalia’s Foreign Ministry reacted by summoning Kenya’s ambassador for consultations and seeking clarification over the matter.
The reported deportation has heightened attention on immigration checks involving Somali government officials traveling to Kenya.
According to sources cited in Somali media, Bukhaari’s entry was reportedly questioned because he was traveling on a Kenyan passport.
The circumstances surrounding that claim have not been officially confirmed.
According to Somali Guardian, the meeting with Kenya’s envoy was expected to seek clarification from Nairobi over the reported deportation and the circumstances surrounding Bukhaari’s treatment at JKIA.
Sources familiar with the matter told the publication that Kenyan immigration authorities denied Bukhaari entry because he was traveling on a Kenyan passport.
Former Somali lawmaker Abdillahi Hashi Abib, who was removed from parliament after criticizing the government, claimed the incident was linked to investigations involving individuals close to President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud.
Writing on X, Abib alleged that Bukhaari was traveling with two passports, including what he described as an illegally obtained Kenyan passport.
He further alleged that the minister was carrying undeclared cash and claimed Kenyan authorities were acting under an arrangement targeting Somali officials suspected of financial crimes.
Somali Guardian said the allegations could not be independently verified and that no evidence had been publicly presented by the Kenyan, Somali or US governments to support the claims.
Kenya-Somalia Security Concerns
Security remains the foundation of relations between Kenya and Somalia, with both countries working together for years to combat the Al-Shabaab militant group.
Kenya has repeatedly faced deadly attacks attributed to the Somalia-based extremist organization, prompting close cooperation between Kenyan and Somali security agencies through intelligence sharing, military operations, and regional stabilization efforts.
Kenya is also a key contributor to peace and stabilization missions in Somalia.
Kenyan troops have served under African Union-led missions supporting the Somali government in its fight against Al-Shabaab and efforts to rebuild state institutions.
Somali leaders have repeatedly acknowledged Kenya’s role in supporting security and stability within the Horn of Africa.
The 680-kilometer Kenya-Somalia border also remains a major security concern.
Authorities have long linked the frontier to militant infiltration, arms trafficking, smuggling networks and irregular migration.
These concerns have influenced border-control measures and immigration decisions by successive governments.
Efforts to reopen border crossings have often generated debate.
Supporters argue that reopening promotes trade, movement and economic recovery, while critics warn that Al-Shabaab continues to pose a significant security threat along the frontier.
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