President William Ruto made the announcement during a visit to the northeastern town of Mandera, saying the decision follows years of security assessments and preparations aimed at ensuring the safety of citizens.
The border was closed after a wave of deadly cross-border attacks carried out by al-Shabaab, which said it was retaliating against Kenya's military presence in Somalia as part of international peacekeeping efforts.
Among the most devastating incidents was the 2013 assault on the Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi, where 67 people were killed. Two years later, gunmen attacked Garissa University College, leaving at least 148 people dead.
Other major attacks included the killing of 28 bus passengers in Mandera County in 2014 and a 2019 hotel siege in Nairobi that left at least 21 people dead.
Kenya subsequently closed the 680-kilometre border with Somalia as a precautionary measure amid threats of further violence. In 2015, the government began constructing a perimeter security barrier along the frontier. However, the project stalled after nearly three years, with only about 10 kilometres of fencing completed at a cost of $35 million.
A previous attempt to reopen the border in 2023 was shelved following renewed militant activity. President Ruto said the renewed plan will see two crossing points reopened under heavy security deployment to prevent infiltration and curb the smuggling of illicit goods, including weapons.
'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,' Ruto said in a post on X.
He expressed optimism that reopening the crossings would stimulate formal cross-border trade and unlock economic opportunities for communities on both sides of the frontier.
Mandera, which has a predominantly ethnic Somali population, has been one of the areas most affected by insecurity linked to al-Shabaab. Addressing residents, Ruto urged them to support government efforts to combat extremism.
'These al-Shabaab are useless. I want to assure that Kenya will work together with you, just help us combat these criminals and terrorists,' he said.
The reopening marks a significant policy shift and signals Nairobi's confidence in strengthened security measures along the frontier, even as authorities remain cautious about the persistent threat posed by militant networks operating in the region.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/kenya-to-reopen-border-with-somalia-after-15-years-of-closure
