Scores of mourners gather at the home of the late Amina Guche in Manyatta Heillu in the Kenyan border town of Moyale as they struggle to come to terms with her sudden death.
A cloud of sorrow and fear engulfed the neighbourhood as reports indicated that Guche was shot by a stray bullet from neighbouring Ethiopia.
Guche, 64, had visited the Marsabit County government sub-County office within Moyale town on Monday morning when a stray bullet from the neighbouring country hit her.
She was rushed to nearby Moyale Sub-County Hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. Moyale Deputy County Commissioner Benedict Munywoki confirmed the incident noting that the stray bullet, from warring forces across the Ethiopian border, struck Guche at the back of the head.
Mr Said Wolde whose mother was hit by a stray bullet from Ethiopia while leaving county offices in Moyale town on Monday November 2, 2026.
Photo credit: David Muchui | Nation
"We send our condolences and express our sympathies to the family of the deceased. The bullet was lodged in the head and attempts to save her failed. It is sad," the DCC told the Nation.
Meanwhile, 220 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates have been forced to sit their examinations away from their schools after stray bullets from clashes across the Ethiopian border threatened their safety.
Mr Munywoki said Sessi Mixed Secondary School, located less than 100 metres from the border, had been hit by stray bullets, prompting the relocation of its candidates to Sessi Primary School.
Candidates from St Mary's Mixed Secondary School were moved to Heillu Primary School, about 1.5 kilometres from the border.
A total of 1,443 candidates are sitting the examinations in the sub-county, where security has been enhanced around examination centres and along the border.
Mr Munywoki said since fighting broke out in Ethiopia, a number of cases of stray bullets landing on Kenyan territory have been recorded.
"Nine people including two Ethiopians have so far reported being injured by stray bullets. At Sessi Estate, two rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) fell but no injuries were reported. They were safely detonated by KDF officers. So far, our security forces have found up to 10 unexploded RPGs," Mr Munywoki said.
The Monday tragic incident, which happened a few steps from the Moyale Prison, Moyale Police Station and Moyale Sub-county offices, points to the fluid security situation even on the Kenyan side of Moyale.
The incident has also revived tension in the border town although fighting has subsided in Ethiopia in the last three days.
A son of the late Guche, Said Wolde, said his mother was in high spirits on Monday morning and had prayed for their younger brother before he left for his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
Mr Wolde's brother is among more than 200 KCSE candidates who have had to relocate from their school and write their examinations from a safer place due to the threat of stray bullets.
"We have been going on with our lives normally because there is no war in Kenya. But today, we are devastated that the war we have nothing to do with has claimed our mother. We are shocked by the death but we accept the will of Allah," Mr Wolde said.
A view of deserted streets in Moyale, Ethiopia, as seen on November 2, 2026 from Moyale, Kenya.
Photo credit: David Muchui | Nation
Mr Abdi Nassir Ali, a neighbour of the bereaved family, said up to four stray bullets hit their estate last week.
"Today's tragic incident now calls for the Kenyan government to take more stringent measures. The increasing cases of bullets and RPGs hitting the Kenyan side show aggression against Kenyan territory. We are no longer bystanders; we are on the line of fire. We urge our neighbours to resolve the crisis which is now approaching two weeks," Mr Ali warned.
Since the conflict broke out in Moyale, Ethiopia, more than 10 days ago, normal life and business has been disrupted.
Besides locals hosting more than 25,000 Ethiopians fleeing for their safety, tension remains high as stray bullets and RPGs find their way into Kenya. Earlier, UN agencies indicated that about Sh1.16 billion was needed to support up to 50,000 people in the next three months if the fighting continues.
Mr Ali Haro, a resident of Sessi area said constant artillery fire has left them living in fear.
According to Mr Munywoki, the government has since relocated candidates from two secondary schools and is considering relocating residents of Sessi Estate due to the danger posed by stray ammo.
"Due to the many cases of RPGs hitting Sessi area, we have advised residents to relocate to a school. The government is working with humanitarian agencies to support them from one point. It is getting risky to have people walking around in Sessi area," the DCC said.
The clashes between the Oromia and Somali regional forces in Ethiopia have also affected businesses as cross border trade has stopped.
Truckers destined to Ethiopia have been stuck on the Kenyan side for the last 10 days with no end in sight for cessation of the hostilities.
Mr Geoffrey Mulinya, a truck driver who was delivering sorghum to a town more than 1,000 kilometres away, said they were running out of food.
"It takes me about a week to reach my destination but now we are stuck in Moyale for a week and counting. I urge the fighting groups to resolve their issues so that cross-border trade can resume," Mr Mulinya said.
Also adversely affected are businesses on the Kenyan side which rely heavily on cross-border trade and customers from Ethiopia.
Some semblance of normalcy has resumed at Soko Balle, which is popular with clothes, after traders closed shop due to constant artillery fire. The market committee chairperson Alio Galgalo said most traders were yet to resume business out of safety concerns.
"Last week, stray bullets were hitting the market roof forcing traders and buyers to flee for their safety. Now that fighting has subsided in Ethiopia, we are trying to return to our stalls.
However, business is slow because people are yet to gather courage. We also get a lot of buyers from Ethiopia," Mr Galgalo said.
Ms Fatuma Mohamed, a businesswoman said, on a good say, she makes sales of up to Sh10,000 but was currently struggling to get Sh1,000.
This market supports up to 100 women who are now having a hard time earning a living," she said.
Residents who spoke to Nation said they were struggling to feed scores of people who have sought refuge in their homes. Mr Abduba Golicha said he was hosting 30 Ethiopians who had fled the conflict across the border.
Besides the security and humanitarian crisis, Moyale town residents are also grappling with power outages due to rationing occasioned by disconnection from the Ethiopian grid. The town is now relying on diesel generators which are not sufficient to power the entire population.
In the meantime, humanitarian agencies have stepped up response and health surveillance across the camps hosting thousands of refugees.
On Monday, the Kenya Red Cross Society, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) among other partners continued registering the displaced persons to facilitate humanitarian support.
Some of the unexploded RPGs that landed at Sessi area in Kenya from Ethiopia due to the ongoing conflict.
Photo credit: Pool
A spot check at the camps indicated there was dire need for adequate sanitation facilities, shelter and water due to crowding. The Kenya Red Cross Upper Eastern region head Malik Adan said they had focused on provision of food and health services as an emergency.
"We are monitoring living conditions, doing health screening, offering psychosocial support and linking vulnerable families to essential medical services. We are also keen on the nutrition status of children as well as pregnant and lactating mothers. The biggest challenge we are dealing with is that we are dealing with a moving target," Mr Adan said.
According to DCC Munywoki, more food aid is needed as the available supplies could last about two days only.
Earlier, UN agencies indicated that about Sh1.16 billion was needed to support up to 50,000 people in the next three months.
