Thirdway Alliance party leader, Ekuru Aukot, has warned of dire consequences from the fresh scandal involving issuance of Kenyan passports  to foreigners who are on the radar of international law enforcement agencies.

Speaking to Spice FM on Wednesday, Aukot said that the country’s immigration document risked losing credibility besides an imminent threat to national security and the country’s global standing.

According to him, the acts by immigration officials amount to a betrayal of Kenya’s sovereignty.

“Our Kenyan passport is very sacrosanct; it is our identity. Now our government is selling our identity to foreigners for the price of beans, or I don’t know,” Aukot said.

“It has devalued the passport of Kenya. With this story now going out, many countries will not admit Kenyans easily. You will be more scrutinised.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VTfqssj2Jw

Weak parliamentary oversight and alleged political interference have been blamed for lack of accountability over the matter.

Under Kenyan law, acquisition of a passport is strictly tied to proof of citizenship. Applicants holding citizenship by birth must present a national identity card and birth certificate.

On the other hand, foreign nationals must meet stringent naturalisation requirements, including at least seven years of continuous residency, proficiency in Kiswahili or English, demonstrable contribution to Kenya’s economy or society, and publication of their application in the Kenya Gazette.

However, critics argue that some of the individuals on the alleged list likely bypassed these requirements with the help of senior officials at the Ministry of Interior and the Immigration Department.

“The passports were issued unprocedurally. The people involved in issuing the fake passports must first be fired, investigated and taken to court. Heads must roll, but rolling isn’t going far enough. People must go to jail for selling Kenya’s sovereignty,” Aukot claimed.

The storm followed revelations that Algoney Hamdan Dagalo, a member of Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia group facing international sanctions, was holding a Kenyan passport used to travel the world for activities of the rebel outfit.

Activist Boniface Mwangi also shared what he described as a leaked internal document from the Directorate of Immigration Services indicating that several foreign nationals had been issued with the document in new applications or renewals.

RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, alias Hemedti, and controversial Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, who has faced graft investigations in his home country are among the passport holders.

The scandal has also drawn attention to Kenya’s foreign policy posture, particularly in relation to Sudan’s civil war.