President William Ruto has explained why the Kenya-Somalia border remains closed, months after the government announced plans to reopen it.
Speaking during an interview with France 24 on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Ruto said renewed insecurity and political tensions inside Somalia had disrupted earlier plans to reopen the border in April.
According to the President, Kenya and the Somali government had made significant progress before disagreements emerged between the federal government in Mogadishu and regional administrations.
“We were moving very well until there was a huge disagreement between the government in Mogadishu and the states,” Ruto said.
He noted that clashes between the Somali National Army and regional forces near the border created fresh security concerns for Kenya.
Ruto added that some Somali security personnel crossed into Kenya during the conflict, further complicating the situation and forcing Kenya to intervene diplomatically.
“In fact, at that time, some of the Somali National Army were pushed into Kenya, and that complicated the situation,” he stated.
The President also pointed to political uncertainty in Somalia, noting that the country is approaching the end of its parliamentary term without a clear political direction in place.
“So the Kenya-Somalia Border for the time being is not open,” he added.
Kenya has been engaging regional partners including Ethiopia and Djibouti in discussions aimed at supporting stability in Somalia, although Ruto admitted progress has been slower than expected.
The planned reopening of the border had been viewed as a major boost for cross-border trade and movement between Kenya and Somalia, particularly for businesses operating in northern Kenya.
However, insecurity continues to affect areas around Mandera, where residents have repeatedly raised concerns over armed groups and the presence of foreign forces near Kenyan territory.
In recent months, locals in Mandera have staged protests over rising insecurity, saying the situation has disrupted business activities, education, and daily life.
There are also growing fears of insecurity in the region after some of the recent attacks in the region, which include the ambush of a public service vehicle resulting in fatalities and injuries.
The Kenya-Somalia Border was initially closed in 2011 because of several security challenges attributed to the terrorist group Al-Shabaab.
READ ALSO: Refugees in Kenya Left Stranded After Canadian Firm Withdraws Job Offers
