Ministry of Interior orders refugees to surrender travel documents within 30 Days

The Ministry of Interior and National Administration has issued a new directive requiring all refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya to surrender their travel documents within the next 30 days. This decision follows reports that some refugees have been fraudulently using passports from their countries of origin to travel outside Kenya.

In the announcement, the Commissioner of Refugees warned that failure to comply with this directive could lead to serious legal consequences, including the cancellation of refugee status and possible expulsion from Kenya. These actions are in line with Section 17 of the Refugees Act.

The Commissioner further noted that refugees who provided false or omitted critical information during their application process are at risk of losing their refugee status. Moreover, if there is compelling evidence that an individual was wrongly recognized as a refugee, their status will be revoked.

Refugees are urged to comply with this directive to ensure their rights remain protected under both international law and the Refugees Act of 2021. The notice from the Commissioner reassured refugees that their safety and well-being remain a top priority, and the Department of Refugee Services expressed gratitude for their cooperation.

This directive comes on the heels of the Kenyan government’s decision, under President William Ruto’s administration, to integrate over 700,000 refugees from the Dadaab and Kakuma camps into Kenyan society. The integration process, which began in July 2024 after consultations with Senate and National Assembly members from Turkana and Garissa counties, aims to promote socio-economic inclusion for refugees and provide additional support to local communities, as noted by the United Nations.