by Frankline Oduor
Friday May 15, 2026
President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi, on May 13, 2026, and an insert of the Al-Shabaab insurgents. Photo Kenyans.co.ke
President William Ruto has explained why the Kenya-Somalia border remains closed 15 years after its shutdown, despite his earlier commitment to reopen it in April this year.
Speaking in an interview with France 24 on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, Ruto said the reopening plan was disrupted by renewed instability inside Somalia.
“We were moving very well until there was a huge disagreement between the government in Mogadishu and the states,” Ruto said, pointing to rising conflict involving Somali National Army (SNA) forces and regional militias.
He specifically cited clashes involving Jubaland security forces near the border, saying the fighting complicated Kenya’s security considerations.
“In fact, at that time, some of the Somali National Army were pushed into Kenya, and that complicated the situation. We had to support members of the SNA by assisting them so that we could pacify the war,” he added.
Ruto further explained that the instability made reopening impossible, warning that Somalia’s current political transition has worsened uncertainty.
“The term of Parliament there expired, and the President is also expiring. Nobody knows where that situation is going. So the border for the time being is not open,” he said.
The President added that Kenya has been engaging regional partners, including Ethiopia and Djibouti, in efforts to support peace and stabilisation in Somalia, but with limited success so far.
His remarks come months after he announced in February that the border would reopen in April, a move that was expected to boost trade and movement between the two countries under tight security arrangements.
However, the situation along the Mandera border has remained tense, with residents repeatedly reporting insecurity linked to cross-border armed groups and alleged Jubaland forces operating near Kenyan territory.
In September last year and again this week, residents in Mandera staged protests accusing foreign forces of harassment and warning that their presence was disrupting schooling, trade, and local safety.
These concerns have been compounded by recent deadly attacks in Mandera, where gunmen ambushed a public service vehicle, killing several people and injuring others, further heightening fears of cross-border insecurity.
The Kenya-Somalia border was originally closed in October 2011 following repeated attacks by Al-Shabaab, and despite several attempts to reopen it over the years, security concerns have repeatedly delayed full restoration of cross-border movement.
