According to sources, Kenyan immigration officials who support the US policies in the war on terrorism interrogated the four UAE nationals for hours and expelled them without a valid reason.

Some top Kenyan officials had admitted that “it was a stupid mistake of some officials.”

Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula visited the UAE on Monday heading a high-level delegation. Sources told Arab News that the talks were “not very fruitful.”

A statement posted on the UAE government website said the visa issue was not part of the agenda of the talks with the team of visiting Kenyan diplomats.

“The visit by Kenya’s foreign minister was to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries. It has absolutely nothing to do with the false media reports on (deportation of UAE officials),” said the statement signed by Sultan Al-Qurtasi Al-Nuaimi, a director of consular affairs at UAE’s Foreign Ministry.

Al-Qurtasi said the degree requirement was introduced to regulate the flow of Kenyans to the emirate, refuting claims that it was in retaliation for a recent deportation of the UAE citizens.

The new visa rule is set to affect thousands of Kenyans who are lured to visit the UAE for employment and business. Many Kenyans who work in the country will also be affected as it will be difficult for them to get re-entry visas upon exit. According to the immigration figures, about 36,000 Kenyans are working in the UAE, notably in the construction and hospitality industries. Figures show that they send more than KES500 million from the UAE every year.

In addition to this, many Kenyans use Dubai as a transit point to link up to the world.

Kenya’s tourism authorities have launched an intensive campaign to grab more visitors from the Emirates since last year.

The visa curbs have already hit hundreds of traders who usually buy huge quantities of goods from Dubai and Sharjah. Kenyans buy mainly second-hand cars and textiles from Dubai.

“I will be in trouble if the situation goes like this,” said Irungu, a trader from Nakuru. “I buy several items from Dubai and Sharjah and I have experienced marketing boys, now I don’t know how I will continue the trade.” Irungu was negotiating with a trader in Sharjah Industrial area when Arab News met him.

Anyango, a woman trader from Nairobi, had similar feelings.

However, some reports say that the new visa regulations imposed on Kenyans visiting the UAE may call for a review and scrapping of the policy of mistreatment of Muslims passing through Kenya’s international airports.

“While the regulations appear to be excessive, it is a pointer for the government to recognize that such arbitrary measures have a negative impact on all Kenyans of diverse background,” said Hassan Omar Hassan, vice chairman of Kenya National Human Rights Commission (KNHRC). He said scores of Muslims entering the country through the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and other entry points have faced constant harassment from security officials who use the excuse of the so-called anti-terror war to mistreat innocent travelers.

“We have seen some security agents constantly tracking Muslims, their business, finances and also abrogating their human rights in the name of fighting terrorism,” Hassan Omar Hassan told The Friday Bulletin.