Kenyan Passports Sold to Warlords and Crooks: Leaked Leak Exposes Sovereignty Scandal Under Ruto
A leaked internal document from Kenya’s Directorate of Immigration Services has ignited national outrage, revealing how foreign nationals including figures linked to Sudan’s brutal Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and a graft-tainted Zimbabwean tycoon have been fast-tracked for Kenyan passports under President William Ruto’s administration.
In a statement on Thursday, Boniface raised concerns over the integrity of passport issuance and the involvement of foreign nationals in Kenya’s electoral processes.
“To apply for a Kenyan passport, you need a Kenyan identity card and an e-citizen account, and you have to pay. Whose account was used for this illegal passport’s application? Did they use a zero token where no payment was made?” Mwangi asked.
This isn’t just a bureaucratic slip-up; it’s a potential betrayal of Kenyan identity, raising alarms about national security, corruption, and the erosion of citizenship integrity.
The Bombshell Leak: Names and Ties That Bind
Political firebrand Boniface Mwangi first sounded the alarm on social media, sharing the explosive list that details a surge in passport issuances to outsiders with dubious connections.
High-profile entries include:
- Sudanese RSF links: Multiple Hamdan family members tied to RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), accused of atrocities like murder and rape. A UN document even flags Algoney Hamdan Daglo as holding a Kenyan passport despite RSF’s sanctioned status.
- Zimbabwean mogul Wicknell Chivayo: A frequent Kenya visitor photographed with Ruto, now under probe for massive corruption back home.
On January 11, the controversial businessman visited the State House to meet Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki.
During the visit, former Cabinet Secretary for Public Service Justin Muturi, criticized Chivayo’s presence in Kenya, questioning his influence and connection to the presidency.
“Whenever he comes to Kenya, he passes through Eldoret. What is the President doing with him?” Muturi asked.
Wicknell Chivayo, popularly known as “Sir Wicknell,” was previously convicted of fraud in 2004 and served a prison sentence.
- Others like Omar Bashir Mohamed Manis, echoing a former Sudanese regime official, bypass standard rules requiring 7+ years residency, Swahili/English fluency, economic contributions, and gazettement.
As Mwangi put it bluntly: “Our passports are being sold to warlords… a stain on Kenya’s identity.” as highlighted in this as a “shocking trend” for “private and personal purposes,” fueling perceptions of elite favoritism.
Echoes of Past Scandals: A Pattern of Passport Peril
This isn’t Kenya’s first tango with passport fraud. In 2023, 15 Nyayo House officials and brokers were nabbed in a scam exploiting system downtimes, forcing desperate applicants including foreigners to pay bribes for basic services.
Broader immigration woes, like the 2025 Somalia e-visa hack exposing 13,000+ Kenyans’ data, underscore systemic vulnerabilities.
Critics like former Chief Justice David Maraga decry it as “Kenyan citizenship extended at the convenience of power,” demanding immediate revocations and probes to safeguard neutrality in conflicts like Sudan’s.
Mwangi echoes: “Heads must roll… people must go to jail for selling Kenya’s sovereignty.”
Security Risks and Broader Implications
Handing blue books to potential security threats isn’t harmless it taints every Kenyan traveler. As Mwangi warns, “When you travel with a Kenyan passport, I become suspicious because you don’t know who is legit.”
Broader fallout:
- Security: RSF holders could exploit Kenyan docs for arms trafficking or evading sanctions amid Sudan’s war.
- Economy/Corruption: Undermines legit investors; smells of backroom deals favoring cronies over ordinary citizens.
- Diplomacy: Jeopardizes Kenya’s peace-broker role in East Africa, as Maraga notes.
- Public Trust: Fuels anti-government sentiment, especially post-2022 elections amid graft probes.
The Interior Ministry stayed silent despite outreach, amplifying suspicions.
What Happens Next? Calls for Accountability
Activists demand firings, audits, and prosecutions starting with revoking these passports.
Parliament could launch inquiries, while EACC/DCI probes loom if public pressure mounts.
For citizens: Report suspicions via immigration hotlines; demand transparency in citizenship processes. This scandal strips away Kenya’s sovereignty one passport at a time. Will Ruto’s team clean house, or is this the tip of a corrupt iceberg?