The Friday Bulletin
Non-Kenyans with valid documents allowed to travel for Hajj as SUPKEM calls for speedy processing of passports
NAIROBI—The Kenya Hajj Mission, under the auspices of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM), has announced that foreign passport holders residing and working in Kenya with valid documents can now perform Hajj from Kenyan territory.
The SUPKEM National chairman Hassan Ole Naado, in a letter dated June 6, 2023 addressed to accredited Hajj Agencies, stated that the Ministry of Hajj and Umra Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has retained the quota for legitimate foreign passport holders residing or working in the Republic of Kenya to prepare as well as perform Hajj.
The Kenya Hajj Mission had requested the Ministry of Hajj and Umra Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign and the Embassy of the Kingdom in Kenya to reconsider and allow individuals with foreign passports participate in this year’s Hajj.
Ole Naado expressed his gratitude to the governments of Kenya and Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Ambassador to Kenya Khalid al Salman for facilitating Muslims an opportunity to go to and perform this important religious exercise.
“We take this opportunity to thank the Government of Kenya, especially the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, the government of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Embassy in Kenya for their support, advice and guidance and for facilitating foreign passport holders an opportunity to go to and perform this important religious exercise,’’ he said.
Historically, the Ministry of Hajj and Umra Affairs has always allocated between 3-5% of the total quota for Kenya, reserved for holders of foreign passports who legally reside or work in Kenya. At the same time, Ole Naado has called on
the government to fast-track the issuance of passports to enable as many Muslims as possible to travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the Hajj pilgrimage.
He cited the slow pace in the issuance of passports, stating that the delay in obtaining this important document will inconvenience Muslims who are preparing for Hajj, which is expected to begin on June 26, 2023.
The first batch of Kenyan Muslims attending this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia will
leave the country on June 14th, 2023, and the last flight will depart on June 22, 2023, respectively.
The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) has asked those intending
to travel for Hajj to strictly adhere to the guidelines set out by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and not take shortcuts. Muslims planning to perform Hajj in 2023
are required to have received two COVID-19 vaccine shots and one booster jab.
