Leaked Document Exposes Illegal Kenyan Passport Sales to Foreign Warlords
Nairobi, 27 February 2026
A bombshell government leak reveals Kenya’s immigration system has been compromised, with passports illegally issued to foreign nationals including associates of Sudanese warlord Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who faces international accusations of crimes against humanity. The shocking document, exposed by activist Boniface Mwangi, shows individuals bypassed Kenya’s strict seven-year residency requirements and other legal prerequisites. Most alarming is the revelation that some passport holders are linked to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces, currently wanted for war crimes, effectively allowing suspected criminals to travel under Kenyan identity. This breach of Kenya’s sovereignty has sparked public outrage, with calls for immediate passport revocations and criminal prosecutions of officials involved in what activists describe as selling national identity ‘for the price of beans’.
RSF Leadership Network Granted Kenyan Documentation
The leaked document reveals a particularly concerning pattern of passport issuance to individuals connected to Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The list includes multiple members of the Dagalo family, linked to RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, commonly known as Hemedti [1]. Among those identified are Mayada Hamdan, Abdaraheem Hamdan, Zahra Hamdan, Zariwa Hamdan, and Musa Hamadan Musa [1]. A United Nations document separately confirms that Algoney Hamdan Daglo, also linked to the RSF, holds a Kenyan passport [1]. The RSF and its leadership currently face international accusations of crimes against humanity, murder, and rape [1].
Legal Requirements Systematically Bypassed
Kenya’s citizenship laws establish clear prerequisites for foreigners seeking passports, including seven years of residency, proficiency in Swahili or English, demonstrable contribution to the economy or society, and official gazettement of the application [1]. However, several individuals on the leaked list appear to have circumvented the mandatory seven-year residency requirement entirely [1]. The document also lists Omar Bashir Mohamed Manis, connected to foreign political factions in Sudan, and Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo amongst those granted Kenyan passports [1]. For Kenyan citizens by birth, the standard requirements include proof of citizenship through a national identity card and birth certificate [1].
National Security Implications Spark Outrage
Political activist Boniface Mwangi, who exposed the leaked document on social media on 25 February 2026, described the situation as government officials selling passports to warlords [1]. ‘Hemedti and RSF are being accused of crimes against humanity, murder and rape and they are wanted, and they are travelling with a Kenyan document, so what happens is that as a Kenyan when you travel with a Kenyan passport, I become suspicious because you don’t know who is a legit Kenyan and a non-Kenyan who bought a passport,’ Mwangi stated [1]. He characterised the passport as ‘very sacrosanct’ and Kenya’s identity, expressing concern that the government is ‘selling our identity to foreigners for the price of beans’ [1].
Calls for Accountability and System Reform
Mwangi has demanded immediate action, calling for passport revocation and accountability measures against those responsible [1]. ‘The people involved in issuing the fake passports must first be fired, investigated and taken to court, so heads must roll, but rolling isn’t going far enough, people must go to jail for selling Kenya’s sovereignty,’ he declared [1]. The activist emphasised that ‘Kenyan citizenship should not be extended at the convenience of power, as it amounts to a state’s declaration that the bearer is one of us’ [1]. When contacted for comment on 25 February 2026, the Ministry of Interior did not respond to enquiries about the allegations [1]. This scandal underscores broader challenges within Kenya’s immigration system and may necessitate stricter verification procedures for all future passport applications.