Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei has defended the government’s involvement in Sudan peace mediation efforts following concerns over reports that some Sudanese individuals may have been facilitated with Kenyan travel documents.
Speaking during an interview on JKLive on Citizen TV, Sing’Oei maintained that Kenya remains committed to supporting peace and stability initiatives in Sudan through the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) framework.
Kenya Sheltering Sudanese Displaced by Conflict
The Foreign Affairs PS noted that the ongoing conflict in Sudan has forced many political actors and civil society members to flee the country, with some seeking refuge in Kenya and neighbouring states.
According to Sing’Oei, Kenya has continued its long-standing role of offering refuge to people displaced by conflict.
“As Kenya, we are committed to supporting peace mediation in Sudan. Sudan is an important country in our region,” he stated.
He added that President William Ruto, alongside other regional leaders under IGAD, had intensified diplomatic efforts to help resolve the Sudan crisis after war broke out.
PS Explains Exceptional Use of Travel Documents
Sing’Oei acknowledged that under exceptional humanitarian circumstances, individuals fleeing conflict may sometimes be facilitated with temporary travel arrangements if they lack valid identification documents.
“I want to speak quite categorically; the first; passports are not dished willingly. It is my very strong view that under exceptional circumstances, people in distress may be allowed to travel using our passports,” he said.
The PS emphasized that such actions should not be interpreted to mean Kenyan passports are being issued indiscriminately.
“That is not then say that passports are being thrown around like candy,” he added.
Controversy Over Alleged Passport Issuance
The remarks come amid growing public scrutiny following reports alleging that Algoney Hamdan Dagalo Musa — the younger brother of Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, also known as Hemedti — had been issued with a Kenyan passport.
Musa is reportedly a senior logistics operative for Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and is under sanctions by the United States Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control and the European Union.
The allegations have triggered debate over Kenya’s role in regional diplomacy and the handling of travel documents involving foreign nationals linked to conflict zones.
