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Ruto to reopen Kenya-Somalia border after 15-year shutdown
President William Ruto during the disbursement of Sh120 million to 5,000 youths from Mandera and Wajir Counties.
Kenya’s border with Somalia, which was closed 15 years ago, will be formally reopened in April 2026, President William Ruto has said.
The President said the decision is part of his administration’s efforts to end the marginalisation of North-Eastern counties.
He made the remarks in Mandera and Wajir counties while overseeing the disbursement of National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (Nyota) Programme grants to more than 5,000 beneficiaries on Thursday.
“Now that we have supported the youth with money to start businesses, they cannot operate while the borders are closed. 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,” President Ruto said.
“Accordingly, we will reopen the border post in April, restoring connectivity and revitalising cross-border trade for the mutual prosperity of our people.”
The official border crossings in Mandera, Garissa, Wajir and Lamu were closed in 2012 in a bid to stop incursions of Al-Shabaab terrorists.
President Ruto said more police officers would be deployed to secure the border posts and address the security challenges that led to the closure.
President Ruto’s remarks come days after Internal Security Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo last week informed miraa traders that the National Security Council had resolved to reopen the border.
“The National Security Council ratified the reopening of our border with Somalia for cross-border trade at the specified border points of Mandera, Liboi and Kiunga, specifically for the transportation of miraa by road to Somalia,” Mr Omollo said.
Systemic marginalisation
Mandera Governor Mohamed Khalif said the closure had adversely affected cross-border trade.
“The border has been an economic lifeline for this county. Since Somalia is now a member of the East African Community, our borders should not be closed,” Mr Khalif said.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale termed the 15-year closure part of the systemic marginalisation of the region by past regimes.
President Ruto reiterated that his administration is ensuring all government programmes are delivered equitably across the country.
“Kenya can only move forward if we work together as Kenyans. Those used to discrimination have no room. We are eliminating discrimination step by step,” he said.
He also announced that the government would soon install a three-megawatt generator to stabilise power supply in Mandera in the short term.
On drought, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the government has procured relief food and sufficient animal feeds to support affected residents.
In Mandera and Wajir, more than 5,000 beneficiaries received Sh126 million as part of the business start-up grant.
Nationally, the programme has benefitted more than 120,000 young businesspeople, who have received a total of Sh5 billion in a joint programme between the government and the World Bank.
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