The detention of lawyer Miguna Miguna at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport a fortnight ago over his citizenship, it has emerged, was not an isolated case.
For one Mohammed Hussein Bloushu, he has had to make JKIA’s no-man’s section his home for the last four months as another victim of stringent immigration and aviation rules.
According to Nairobi News, the 44-year old man claims his home is the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Prior to his entry to Kenya, he was turned away in three other countries including the UAE.
He sensationally revealed his woes begun in 2015 when he was arrested in UAE for being in possession of bhang and sentenced to 20 months in jail.
After completion of his sentence, he was hounded to a Comoros bound plane sine he had been issued a passport for the country by his government.
“I was then put on a plane to the Comoros since I had been issued the country’s passport by my government in 2013,” said he.
On October 27 last year, he was on board a Kenya Airways Flight on his way to Archipelago, located at the south-east coast of Africa. But upon landing in the Comoros, he was denied entry on account his passport details could not be reflected on their database.
He was again returned to Nairobi via a KQ flight. The following day, he was again flown to Dubai where he had first boarded a KQ flight but was returned to Nairobi.
“When I landed at Dubai, they disowned me and said I should be in Comoros because I have the country’s passport,” said Mohammed.
Upon his return to JKIA from Dubai, he decided to travel to the Philippines since holders of a Comoros passport are allowed entry to the country without a Visa.
“I was transiting through Bangkok but I was held at the airport because I had two months and twenty days remaining on my transit Visa. They said my Visa should be at least three months,” he stated.
He was put on a Comoros bound plane but upon landing, he was for a second time turned away forcing Kenya Airways to take him up as dictated by international regulations.
Since then, he has known JKIA as his new home where he has been housed in a holding room. He is provided with breakfast, lunch and supper.
Mohammed, who only speaks Arabic, keeps in constant communication with his family in UAE since he was allowed to keep a mobile phone and he can still access internet facilities.