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1 October – The Department of Refugee Services (DRS) has issued a directive requiring all refugees and asylum seekers in Kenya to surrender their passports from their countries of origin within 30 days.
The directive comes in response to concerns that some refugees have been using these passports to travel outside Kenya, which is in violation of both international and Kenya refugee laws.
Commissioner for Refugee Affairs, John Burugu, made reference to the 1951 United Nations Convention on the Status of Refugees, its 1967 Protocol, and Kenya’s Refugees Act No. 10 of 2021, all of which govern the regulations surrounding refugee travel.
According to these frameworks, refugees are entitled to Civil, Identity, and Travel documents, including Machine Readable Conventional Travel Documents (CTDs), which they must use for travel outside Kenya, with the exception of travel to their home countries.
“In light of these recent developments and concerns regarding the use of passports from the country of origin, the Department of Refugee Services (DRS) is issuing a moratorium on the possession and use of such passports by refugees,” stated Commissioner Burugu.
The directive further emphasized that refugees and asylum seekers must surrender their country-of-origin passports to the Department of Refugee Services within 30 days.
Commissioner John Burugu highlighted that possession and use of these passports is now prohibited, and failure to comply could result in serious legal repercussions, including the cancellation of refugee status.
The Commissioner also warned that those who do not comply risk expulsion from Kenya, as stipulated in Section 17 of the Refugees Act.
“Failure to comply with this directive may result in legal consequences, as outlined in the aforementioned international conventions and the Refugees Act No. 10 of 2021, which may lead to the cancellation of refugee status and possible expulsion from Kenya,” Commissioner Burugu cautioned.
He urged all refugees and asylum seekers to adhere to the directive within the given timeline to ensure their rights and status remain protected under both Kenya and International law.
