Principal Secretary for Immigration and Citizens Services, Belio Kipsang, has denied allegations that Kenyan passports have been issued to foreign nationals with questionable credentials.
Speaking before the National Assembly Committee on Administration and Internal Security on March 16, Belio Kipsang told lawmakers that reports of Kenyan passports being issued to foreigners with dubious backgrounds, including RSF figures from Sudan and a controversial Zimbabwean businessman, are false.
He stressed that only qualified Kenyan citizens receive registration documents, and passport issuance strictly adheres to due process
“I would like to assure every Kenyan that we issue these documents to Kenyans, mainly our IDs and birth documents. You cannot get any other document unless you have either an ID or a birth certificate,” he said.
The statement comes after a leaked internal document from the Directorate of Immigration Services suggested that Kenyan passports had been provided to foreign individuals, including a high-profile Zimbabwean entrepreneur and senior members of Sudan’s rebel Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Ruto’s Govt on Spot For Issuing Kenyan Passports for Foreign Nationals
According to the document shared on February 26 by activist Boniface Mwangi, Zimbabwean businessman Wicknel Chivayo is among those given the Kenyan passport.
Chivayo has also frequently visited Kenya and has been seen posing for photos with the Head of State.
Additionally, the leaked government document indicated that certain individuals with the surname “Hamdan” who can be linked to RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo were also listed for consideration in the issuance of passports.
Also Read: Leaked Govt Document Exposes Foreign Nationals Issued With Kenyan Passports
The list also featured names with the surname Hamdan, like the RSF leader, they included:
- Mayada Hamdan applied for a new ordinary passport on 14 February 2025.
- Abdaraheem Hamdan applied for a new ordinary passport on 12 February 2025.
- Zahraa Hamdan applied for a new ordinary passport on 18 September 2024.
- Adil Hamdan applied for a new ordinary passport on 18 September 2024.
- Zarwa Hamdan applied for a new ordinary passport on 18 September 2024.
- Musa Hamdan Musa applied for a new ordinary passport on 27 August 2024.
- Algoney Musa applied for a new ordinary passport on 27 August 2024.
Also Read: Govt Addresses Unavailability of the 34 and 50-Paged Passports for Kenyans
PS Belio Kipsang Defends Immigration Department for Spending Ksh6.78 Billion
The State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services has so far spent KSh6.78 billion, which is over half of its development budget for the 2025/26 financial year, as of 31st December 2025.
The PS explained that expenditure exceeded 50 percent due to full-year access to certain budget items, including supplies for producing ID cards, purchasing passport booklets, and contracted technical services for the e-Citizen platform to meet contractual obligations.
During the session, Committee members noted that audit reports indicated the Civil Registration Department continues to collect a significant portion of its revenues manually, amounting to hundreds of millions of shillings annually.
In response, PS Belio clarified that no manual collections are currently undertaken, noting that all payments are now processed digitally through the e-Citizen platform via a paybill system.
“In his remarks, the Principal Secretary noted that the Unique Personal Identifier (UPI) will be central to the future of identity management in Kenya and remains a key focus of the State Department moving forward.
