Somalian Junior Minister of Water and Energy Osman Libah and legislators Ilyas Ali Hassan and Zamzam Dahir Somalian Minister denied entry at JKIA, Kenya

Minister among three govt officials denied entry at JKIA

Mumbi Mutuko

May 21, 2019 8:29 AM

Tough rules implemented as government officials are denied entry at JKIA

JKIA

A junior Minister of Water and Energy was among three Somali government officials denied entry at the JKIA.

The three senior Somalia government officials were refused entry at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi for lacking visas.

Reports indicated that the officials were part of a government delegation scheduled to attend the launch of a European Union-sponsored cross-border conflict management programme.

Junior Minister of Water and Energy Osman Libah and legislators Ilyas Ali Hassan and Zamzam Dahir were, however, holding diplomatic passports.

According to the Somali officials, Immigration officials at JKIA told them that they should have obtained visas at the Kenyan embassy in Mogadishu before proceeding.

Changes

The three said they were told they would have to return to Mogadishu, even though some of their colleagues traveling on foreign passports had been allowed in

Notably, under a bilateral arrangement, diplomatic passport holders are granted entry visas at ports of entry.

According to reports, the Kenyan authorities at the airport informed the Somali officials that such plans have changed, and now everyone has to obtain a visa from Kenya’s Mission in Mogadishu.

However, Mogadishu has claimed that it was not aware of the initial policy towards Somali diplomatic and service passport holders had changed.

Mumbi Mutuko