Row over Somalia Minister’s denied entry into Kenya

A diplomatic row could be brewing between Kenya and Somalia after Somalia's State Minister at the Presidency, Abshir Bukhaari, was reportedly denied entry into Kenya and returned to Mogadishu over questions surrounding the Kenyan passport he was allegedly travelling with. The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where Kenyan immigration officials are said to have declined to admit the senior Somali official before placing him on a return flight to Mogadishu, reports the Kenyans. According to multiple media reports, Bukhaari was denied entry because of the Kenyan passport he was using to travel. At the time of publication, neither the Kenyan nor the Somali Government had issued an official statement on the reported incident or the reasons behind the decision. Reports indicate that Somalia has summoned Kenya's ambassador for talks to seek clarification over the reported denial of entry to several Somali federal officials, a move that could heighten diplomatic tensions between the two neighbouring countries. The latest incident comes barely a month after Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister, Jibril Abdirashid Haji, was also reportedly denied entry into Kenya over allegations that he possessed a fraudulently acquired Kenyan passport.

Full report on the Kenyans site