Somalia's State Minister at the Presidency Abshir Bukhaari was denied entry into Kenya at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport on Sunday and returned to Mogadishu.
Kenyan immigration officials declined to admit Bukhaari after questions arose over the Kenyan passport he was allegedly using to travel. The incident occurred at JKIA, after which he was placed on a return flight to Mogadishu.
No official statements have been issued by the Kenyan or Somali governments regarding the reasons for the decision. Reports indicate that Somalia summoned Kenya's ambassador for talks on Monday, July 27, to seek clarification on the denial of entry to several Somali federal officials, though this could not be independently verified.
The event follows a similar incident last month involving Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Haji, who was also denied entry at JKIA on allegations of possessing a fraudulently acquired Kenyan passport and departed Kenya on June 25, 2026.
