Foreign troops must not be allowed to set base in Kenya

Residents protest against the presence of Jubaland forces in Mandera town, on September 2, 2025. [Ibrahim Adan Ali, Standard]

The reported presence of Jubaland troops inside Kenyan territory is a dangerous and unacceptable development that threatens national sovereignty, public safety, and regional stability.

The worsening insecurity in Mandera County, culminating in the brutal killing of six Kenyans in an ambush by a lone gunman, demands urgent and decisive action from the government.

We strongly condemn the senseless attack that claimed the lives of relatives travelling peacefully near the Kenya-Somalia border. These were ordinary citizens going about their lives, yet they became victims of an external conflict and an internal security breakdown. Kenya appears increasingly unable to confront the rising insecurity.

Their deaths are a painful reminder of the heavy cost borne by border communities whenever security lapses and foreign armed interests are allowed to thrive unchecked. Residents of Mandera have every reason to be angry.

For months, locals have raised alarm over the growing presence of foreign fighters and armed elements. Instead of treating those concerns seriously, authorities have appeared dismissive, contradictory, and reactive. Now the fears of the people are materialising in bloodshed, fear, and instability.

No sovereign nation should tolerate foreign forces establishing bases or operating freely within its territory without full transparency, legal clarity, and public accountability.

Kenya cannot afford to send mixed signals on matters touching on territorial integrity and national security. The perception that foreign armed groups are active within Mandera has already created fear, mistrust, and tension among residents who feel abandoned by the state.

More troubling is the possibility that the presence of these forces could attract retaliatory attacks, intensify clan tensions, and expose civilians to cross-border conflicts that are not of their making. Mandera residents should not live under the shadow of armed confrontation simply because of geopolitical calculations or weak border enforcement.

The government must immediately clarify the status of Jubaland forces reportedly operating in the area and provide a transparent explanation to Kenyans. Silence and denial will only deepen suspicion and anger. Security agencies must intensify operations to dismantle criminal networks and armed cells terrorising residents.

At the same time, leaders in Mandera must avoid inflaming emotions or turning legitimate public concern into ethnic or political mobilisation that could worsen an already fragile situation. Justice, restraint, and truth are needed now more than ever.

Kenya’s border counties have suffered for too long from insecurity, terrorism, and neglect. The people of Mandera deserve protection, peace, and confidence in their government, not fear, confusion, and funerals.

The killing of six Kenyans must serve as a wake-up call. National security cannot be outsourced, compromised, or politicised. When foreign armed actors gain influence within our borders, ordinary citizens pay the price.