Kenya–Somalia Border to Reopen in April After 15 Years

Kenya’s border with Somalia will finally reopen in April, ending a prolonged 15-year closure. The shutdown had effectively cut off family ties and cross-border trade between communities living on either side of the frontier.

President William Ruto announced that the official reopening will follow thorough security assessments.

The reopening of the border crossing is expected to revive cross-border trade and allow residents and traders from both countries to operate freely.

Speaking during the NYOTA Capital Disbursement event at Mandera Stadium on Thursday, February 12, the President said it was unacceptable for the border to remain closed, pledging that he will personally officiate the reopening of the Mandera border post.

“It is unacceptable that fellow Kenyans in Mandera remain cut off from their kin and neighbours in Somalia due to the prolonged closure of the Mandera Border Post. We cannot trade with closed borders. For that reason, I will be returning here in April to officially open the border post linking Kenya and Somalia,” Ruto said.

The border was closed in 2011 amid a series of Al-Shabaab insurgent attacks in the region under the administration of then-President Mwai Kibaki.

The Head of State reassured Kenyans on security, saying additional personnel will be deployed to ensure the reopening does not compromise safety.

“We will deploy adequate security to ensure that criminals and insurgent groups do not infiltrate, while giving traders from both regions the freedom to operate,” the President stated. He urged local residents and regional leaders to collaborate with the government by providing timely intelligence to help dismantle Al-Shabaab networks that might attempt to exploit the border reopening.

Responding to persistent complaints about power shortages in Mandera, the President announced that the government will install a 3-megawatt generator to stabilise power supply. He also revealed that plans are underway to fast-track the connection of Ethiopia’s power grid to Mandera, providing a more sustainable electricity supply.

On the ravaging drought in Northern Kenya, the President said the government is distributing food relief and animal feed to support livestock, the region’s main economic mainstay, which has been severely affected.

He said the government has released more than Sh10 billion for drought mitigation efforts nationwide over the past three months and will continue to scale up interventions to safeguard lives, protect livelihoods, and preserve livestock in the most affected areas.

During the NYOTA disbursement exercise at Mandera Stadium, President Ruto presided over the distribution of Sh63 million in start-up capital to 2,520 youth beneficiaries aimed at supporting entrepreneurship.

On his tour of Wajir, which culminated the President’s development visit to the North Eastern region, he announced the construction of a 10,000-seater modern stadium in Wajir town at a cost of Sh900 million. The facility will host this year’s Madaraka Day celebrations — the first time a national holiday will be commemorated in the former Northern Frontier region.