How rogue Immigration officials are selling the Kenyan ID

Immigration Department Passport Control office at Nyayo House, Nairobi. [File, Standard] Weak internal systems, a web of corruption involving senior government officials, and outright lethargy within the country's security system might have aided several Somali citizens, including suspected terrorists, to acquire Kenyan passports. In a classic example of see no evil, hear no evil, but participate in it, government operatives charged with the responsibility of being among the country's first line of defense in protecting the country against suspicious individuals colluded to process crucial identification documents for several migrants from neighbouring Somalia. The Sunday Standard has unearthed how the rot did not just end with the handing over of Kenyan passports to RSF fighters. The web is deep and involves the exchange of huge sums of money running into millions, as background checks on foreigners take a back seat. Sources within the immigration department confided to Saturday Standard that the data that was accessible was just a drop in the ocean. It is a complex web spread over several Huduma Centers across the country to evade obvious detection with some handed ID cards despite government officials not capturing their biometrics. Fresh details from the immigration department have revealed the extent of the rot in the country's immigration system, which has compromised the country's security by fraudulently processing national identity cards for tens of Somali citizens, the Kenyan ID, and the Kenyan passport. The scheme, aided by brokers with deep ties to the country's immigration and security systems, helped more than 60 Somali nationals to obtain the Kenyan ID as scores others received passports. Among them are individuals who had been flagged over links to the terror-further adding another layer of uncertainty over the dedication of security agencies to secure the country. According to documents seen by The Standard, while some of the cards were issued at the Huduma center City Squares, others were issued in Garissa (Kotulo, Tarbaj, Eldas, and Garissa Central), Mandera, Kisauni, Lunga Lunga, and Eastleigh. Other centers that allegedly processed fraudulent IDs and passports were Budalang'i, Makadara, and Mavoko. The Saturday Standard established that some of the aliens who were handed Kenyan passports presented their Somali passports to immigration officials, who use part of the information to help them generate a profile, consequently creating a pathway to acquire the Kenyan passport and identity card. Sources within the department told Saturday Standard of how the process for some starts with the acquisition of a Kenyan birth certificate. According to documents seen by The Standard that were attached as part of the application supporting documents, some of the birth certificates were issued in Garissa. The Saturday Standard established that while the biometrics of some of the aliens were not captured by immigration officials, they still accessed valid identity cards, which were then used to help them process passports. Among the suspected culprits is a Somali national of passport number P01143130 whose biometrics were not captured but was issued with a Kenyan ID number 41916024 at Bangale in Garissa. According to sources, in some cases, immigration officials used the details of the ID card of a Somali national who had already acquired a Kenyan ID as a principal document to help process the vital documents for several other aliens. For instance, a document seen confidentially by The Saturday Standard indicates one Somali passport holder was used to process Kenyan ID cards for seven members of his family at the Eastleigh Huduma center. Details of an Ethiopian national, Dahir Mohamed was also used at the Kawangware Huduma centre to process ID cards for two other Ethiopians. Sources within the immigration department confirmed to Saturday Standard that the documents were fraudulent. Yesterday, insiders claimed that senior government officials began a purge on the immigration department, which saw the rights of several officers restricted as part of an effort to conceal the leaks of the rot in the system. Details indicate that some of the aliens are smuggled into the country, hosted by families, before the process of registration kicks in with the help of government officials and brokers. According to sources, rogue officials are selling the identity cards from Sh100, 000 but the price can rise to more than Sh1 million depending on the profile of the applicant. The amount is higher for high-risk clients, who include suspected terrorists or warlords. Interestingly, some of the application forms uploaded for ID registration and passports did not have passport photos as required. A backend search also indicates that the biometrics of some of them were not taken by immigration officials, adding to the puzzle of how the scheme bypasses established protocols. According to the records of applications, the scheme has been running since September 2022. This means that the illegal trade in the sale of Kenyan citizenship did not start with the February 25, 2025, proclamation by President William Ruto on registration and issuance of IDs, which ended a practice that had stood guard over our borders for more than six decades. In the recent past, several aliens have been arrested with fake IDs. For instance, barely a week ago, a Somali national was arrested in Wajir County while attempting to secure employment using a Kenyan national identity card. Abdi Hassan Ibrahim was seized at the weekend at the Johwar location in Wajir East, where he was allegedly searching for job opportunities. He told the local chief, Mohamed Issack Abdille, that he had travelled from Garissa County. Upon interrogation, he failed to give a satisfactory account of his presence in the country. The 37-year-old was handed over to the Anti-Terrorism Police Unit (APTU). During questioning, he claimed he had come to Kenya to look for a herdsman's job. But as this happens, the government is running against the clock to reopen the Kenya-Somalia border after a 15-year closure, which was imposed during the Al-Shabaab insurgency. Early this week, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki pledged that the government would provide security to Miraa farmers as part of an effort to encourage the movement of goods and people through the Kenya-Somali border. Prof Kindiki, who spoke at Mulango in Tigania East, said the vehicles will access the lucrative market through three new border points of Liboi, Kiunga, and Mandera. He said President William Ruto would visit Mandera on April 18 to open the border and pave the way for traders to ferry their products by road. "While we engage with the Somalia government about airlifts, we will use the border points at Liboi, Mandera, and Kiunga to transport the Miraa. The traders can be given security escort to take the Miraa to Somalia," he said. Security experts, however, are uncertain over what the move means for the country as it battles an influx of foreigners who are easily manipulating their ways to acquire vital government documents with the help of rogue officials.

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