Kindiki Announces Delay In Reopening Kenya-Somalia Border
He made the announcement while touring Ifo 2 Refugee and Dagahaley Refugee Camps in Daadab and the World Food Program (WFP) food distribution points.
Marvin Chege 
Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki on Wednesday, July 5 announced a delay in the planned reopening of the Kenya-Somalia border points in phases.
In a statement, the CS revealed that the delay will allow the government to tackle the recent increase in terror attacks and criminal activities between the border.
"The Government will delay the planned phased-out reopening of the Kenya-Somalia border points to facilitate comprehensive and conclusive handling of the recent wave of terror attacks and cross-border crime," Kindiki stated.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki (right) with his Somalian Counterpart Mohamed Ahmed Sheikh Ali on Monday, May 15, 2023 during a press briefing. /MINISTRY OF INTERIOR & NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION
He made the announcement while touring Ifo 2 Refugee and Dagahaley Refugee Camps in Daadab and the World Food Program (WFP) food distribution points.
According to the CS, Kenya has adopted an updated, improved, and enhanced Refugee Act 2022, adding that the Government will neither roll back nor backtrack on the implementation of the Refugee Act 2022 and all its obligations as a signatory to international treaties.
"As a policy shift on Refugee affairs, the Government will take charge of the management and administration of the refugees database. This is part of the comprehensive population master plan in the country.
"99.999% of refugees are good and law-abiding and we will do our best to help them. However, there are few criminal elements who will not be allowed to hurt our National security and the interests of bonafide refugees and host communities," he added.
On Monday, May 15, CS Kindiki announced that the Kenya-Somalia border points would be reopened in phases in the next 90 days.
The CS noted that the exercise which would take effect immediately would bring to an end a more-than-a-decade-old border block between the two neighbouring countries.
Kindiki had hosted a high-level delegation from Somalia led by the ministers Mohamed Ahmed Sheikh Ali (Internal Security), Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur (Defence) and Abshir Omar Jama (Foreign Affairs) before staging a news conference at Harambee House in Nairobi.
“The border between Kenya and Somalia will be re-opened in a phased out manner within the next 90 days effective today starting with the Mandera-Bula Hawa border point which should be re-opened in the next 30 days,” announced Kindiki.
The Liboi-Harahar-Dobley border point, he added, will be the second border that will be opened within 60 days and then the Kiunga-Ras Kamboni border point in Lamu which will be opened in 90 days.
“We are also in the process of looking at the possibility of adding a fourth border point which will give an entry point into Somalia in Wajir County. That announcement will be made in the coming days,” he stated.
However, the implementation of the security project would be subject to consultation and consensus with Kenya’s neighbours, Somalia and Ethiopia.
Kindiki explained: “It has been agreed that this project will proceed subject to the three partner states, Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, sitting down together with the UK to agree on the action plan and the detailed activities.”
The border posts were closed in 2011 due to the threat of terrorism posed mainly by the notorious Al-Shabaab terror group. This led to the illegal flow of people, weapons and contraband across the borders.
