President William Ruto has announced the reopening of the Kenya-Somalia border, bringing to an end the 15-year closure of the Mandera border post.
Speaking during the NYOTA Capital Disbursement event at Mandera Stadium on Thursday, February 12, 2026, Ruto said the decision follows years of consultations and thorough security assessments. He described the reopening as long overdue, particularly for residents whose lives and livelihoods have been disrupted by the prolonged shutdown.
The president acknowledged the difficulties border communities have faced since 2011, noting that many families have remained separated from relatives and neighbors across the frontier.
“It is unacceptable that fellow Kenyans in Mandera remain cut off from their kin and neighbors in Somalia due to the prolonged closure of the Mandera border post,” Ruto said.
Border Closed Since 2011 Over Al-Shabaab Attacks
Authorities closed the Mandera border post in October 2011 after a series of attacks linked to Al-Shabaab, the militant group that has waged an insurgency against Somalia’s federal government in Mogadishu for more than 15 years. The closure formed part of broader security measures aimed at protecting Kenyan territory from cross-border terrorism.
Now, the government says improved security coordination and sustained assessments have paved the way for reopening.
President Ruto confirmed that the Mandera border post will reopen in April, a move expected to restore connectivity and revive cross-border trade between Kenya and Somalia.
“Accordingly, we will reopen the border post in April, restoring connectivity and revitalizing cross-border trade for the mutual prosperity of our people,” Ruto stated.
The reopening is likely to boost trade, ease movement for families divided by the border, and strengthen economic ties between communities in Mandera and Somalia’s Beled Hawo region.
Earlier Reopening Plans Stalled by Security Concerns
The announcement builds on earlier efforts by Kenya and Somalia to normalize border operations. In May 2024, the two countries agreed to gradually reopen three key crossings: Mandera–Beled Hawo, Garissa–Liboi, and Wajir–Elwak, in a phased plan designed to restore trade and regional cooperation.
However, those plans stalled in June 2024 after a deadly attack in Garissa killed eight police officers when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. The incident raised fresh security concerns linked to Al-Shabaab militants and forced the government to delay the reopening process.
At the time, authorities announced a postponement of the Kenya-Somalia border reopening following the attacks on Kenyan soil attributed to the radical Islamist group.
Under the earlier phased plan, Mandera was expected to reopen within 30 days of the announcement, followed by Garissa within 60 days and Lamu within 90 days. The renewed push signals a shift in confidence after enhanced security measures.
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