Kenya: Govt to Reopen Kenya-Somalia Border in April

VOA
Kenya and Somalia.
12 February 2026
Capital FM (Nairobi)
By Kevin Rotich

Nairobi, April — The government will reopen the Kenya-Somalia border in April, ending a closure that has been in place since 2011 due to security concerns linked to Al-Shabaab.

Speaking in Mandera, President William Ruto said adequate security personnel will be deployed at the border to ensure the reopening does not compromise safety.

He said the reopening of border points in Mandera and Garissa counties is expected to revive cross-border trade and allow traders from both countries to operate freely.

Plans to reopen the border in phases in 2023 were suspended in July that year following a surge in Al-Shabaab activities. In 2024, Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said the closure would remain in place amid ongoing security operations in Somalia.

The government has, however, partially reopened the border this month to allow miraa exports ahead of the full reopening scheduled for April.

Read the original article on Capital FM.

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