Another Somalia citizen linked to Kenya ID scam

Arrested man with cuffs. [Courtesy/GettyImages]

Another Somali national has been arrested in Mandera County while in the process of acquiring Kenyan citizenship, exposing the country's vulnerability after relaxation of rules.

Assa Ali Issack was seized by Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (APTU) officers at Bulla Hawa, Mandera East, while trying to cross over into Kenya. The 31-year-old was found in possession of a Kenyan application for registration form serial number 2559069003, which he allegedly procured at the Registrar of Persons offices in Arabia.

The document bore the name Issa Ali Issack. Up on interrogation, the man was unable to give an account of his place of birth and how he came into possession of the vital registration document.

Mandera County police boss Robinson Ndiwa while downplaying the incident, assured that officers police have been on high alert against foreigners attempting to register as Kenyans.

"His mission aborted after he was arrested while in the process of enabling him acquire Kenyan citizenship," said Ndiwa adding that a multi-agency team grilled Ali to establish whether he has any terror links and his true nationality. 

This is the latest in a series of alarming cases of Somalis trying to acquire Kenyan nationality fraudulently few months after President Ruto issued a decree relaxing of extra-vetting in border counties.

On November 22, 2025, Hajir Mohamed Garat was arrested in Ijara, Garissa County, in connection with a document syndicate involving issuance of fake birth and death certificates.

Police believe Mohamed is aiding falsification of nationality for those seeking ID cards, birth and death certificates.

This is after detectives raided his cybercafé at Masalani township where they recovered several blank and partially filled birth notification forms, death notification forms, birth certificates, death certificates and rubber stamps.

Mohamed’s arrest raised fears that foreigners could be using the fake documents to acquire national identity cards, especially at a time when government has relaxed requirements for one to be issued with the vital document.

Mohamed's arrest came about two weeks after two Somali nationals seized in Garissa for the offence of fraudulently obtaining a birth certificate.

The suspects were 14-year-old Ayan Nur Hassan and 20-year-old Mohamed Moulid Mohamed were seized at a police barrier at Tana bridge on November 6, 2025.

Nur was would in possession of birth certificate s/no. 206834 entry no. l08915100563 bearing her full name while Moulid was accused of facilitating entry into Kenya of the teenage girl.

The suspects were on a bus registration KCN 089G that was heading to Nairobi from Garissa. Both were taken to Garissa Police Station before being handed over to Anti-Terrorism Police Unit.

On the same day, 19-year-old Nima Hussein Elmi, a Somali national, was arrested at the Mandera Airstrip as she prepared to board a plane to Nairobi.

She was found in possession of a Kenyan identity card no 540895256, and upon questioning, the girl disclosed that she born in Luuq of Somalia. The multi-agency recovered from her somali passport/no p01742298 bearing the names Nima Hussein Elmi. She was leter handed over to anti-terrorist police for further questioning.

In February 2025, President William Ruto signed a presidential proclamation abolishing vetting for individuals seeking ID cards in Northern Kenya and other border counties.

Signing the Presidential Proclamation on Registration and Issuance of IDs to Border Counties, President Ruto termed the practice unjust and disenfranchising.

“If it’s about vetting, let all children of Kenya be vetted equally without any discrimination,” he said.

He made the remarks after publicly signing and reading out the decree at Orahey Grounds in Wajir Town.