In a move that may signal a turning point in the increasingly tense relationship between Somalia and Kenya, Deputy Prime Minister Jibril Abdirashid Haji has voluntarily returned his Kenyan passport.
The announcement comes weeks after his controversial deportation from Nairobi, which triggered a major diplomatic crisis between the two neighboring countries.
Haji explained that the decision to hand back his travel document was purely administrative. According to the Somali official, returning the passport was meant to promote transparency and clear up any confusion about his official status and responsibilities.
He emphasized that there was no other motive behind the move, and that it was simply a way to avoid any misunderstandings going forward.
The timing of this development is significant. Haji's deportation from Kenya in recent weeks had created considerable friction between the two governments.
Kenyan authorities cited various allegations against the official, which he has consistently denied throughout the ordeal.
The diplomatic row that followed his removal from Nairobi raised serious questions about the stability of relations between Somalia and Kenya.
Many observers have been watching closely to see how both sides would move past the incident. With Haji's voluntary return of his Kenyan passport, there are suggestions that this could be a step towards de-escalating the situation. Whether this marks the end of one of the year's most controversial diplomatic episodes remains to be seen.
The relationship between Somalia and Kenya has faced several challenges recently, and incidents like this one often take time to fully resolve. For now, Haji's passport decision appears to be an attempt at damage control from the Somali side.
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