Moyale humanitarian crisis strains county resources

Marsabit County Governor Mohamud Ali during a meeting with World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director on November 12, 2026. [Courtesy]

Marsabit County is grappling with an escalating security and humanitarian crisis as cross-border fighting between Ethiopian forces and armed groups continues to spill into Kenyan territory, leaving residents dead, others injured and thousands displaced.

Governor Mohamud Ali has raised concern over the deteriorating situation, warning that communities along the Kenya-Ethiopia border are increasingly exposed to heavy bombardments, stray bullets and the devastating effects of a conflict beyond their control.

Speaking during a meeting with World Food Programme (WFP) Country Director Betty Ka at his office at the county headquarters, Governor Ali described a worsening situation in which residents are living in constant fear as artillery shells land in Kenyan villages.

“The situation is worrying. It is affecting us directly now because the heavy weapons they use are landing on the Kenyan side every now and then. Our people cannot sleep. The bombing has been so huge and deafening,” he said.

The Governor revealed that two people have lost their lives on the Kenyan side, while more than 20 others have sustained injuries as the fighting intensifies across the border.

The most affected areas include Township, Heilu/Manyatta and Golbo wards, with villages such as Sessi, Somare, Township, Manyatta, Lami and Heilu reportedly experiencing artillery impacts.

The bombardments have not only threatened human lives but also damaged property and disrupted essential services. Several heavy shells have landed in residential areas without exploding, raising fears of possible civilian casualties should the devices detonate.

Governor Ali said the Kenya Defence Forces had been called in to safely detonate the unexploded ordnance.

In one of the most concerning incidents, a shell struck Moyale Hospital, damaging part of the building and hitting a transformer. Although it did not explode, the impact plunged the facility into darkness, further  complicating healthcare delivery in an area facing growing medical needs.

“They have been hitting homes. Thank God none of the shells has exploded. KDF has come to detonate them. These are very heavy and terrifying artillery shells. Yesterday, one hit the hospital. Fortunately, it did not explode, but it destroyed some parts of the building. The transformer was hit, and now we are in darkness,” he said.

The insecurity has also disrupted education, with several schools in Moyale town remaining non-operational as families and communities struggle to cope with the persistent threat. The prolonged interruption of learning risks exposing children to further vulnerability, particularly those already affected by displacement and trauma.

Beyond the security situation, the county is facing an increasingly complex humanitarian emergency driven by the growing number of refugees fleeing the conflict in Ethiopia and Kenyan families abandoning their homes along the border.

Governor Ali put the refugee population at approximately 60,000 as of Thursday morning, warning that the numbers continue to rise.

“We have serious challenges as a result of what is going on the Ethiopia side. The refugee population has been growing, and by Thursday morning, the figure was at 60,000 and keeps increasing. Our own population is also being displaced. We are not part of the war, but for their safety, our people are running away from the border,” he said.

The situation has created two categories of vulnerable populations requiring urgent assistance: Ethiopian refugees seeking safety in Kenya and Kenyan internally displaced persons (IDPs) fleeing insecurity in their own communities.

“We have two sets of problems: Kenyan IDPs and Ethiopian refugees,” the Governor said, pointing to the mounting pressure on county resources and humanitarian response systems.

The humanitarian needs are becoming increasingly urgent, with severe shortages of non-food items such as blankets and mosquito nets, alongside dwindling medical supplies.

Concerns over a possible measles outbreak have further heightened fears of a public health emergency among the displaced population.

Governor Ali said the county government, working with the Kenya Red Cross, had mobilised and distributed medicines and essential drugs during the first week of the emergency. However, the increasing number of people requiring assistance has overwhelmed the available supplies.

“We have been giving medicines and other drugs to affected people with the help of the Red Cross Society. We are now running out of medicines, and we cannot meet the demand. This situation is so huge that it requires the intervention of many agencies other than yourself,” he said.

The Governor called for urgent intervention from WFP and other humanitarian partners, noting that the scale of the crisis had exceeded the county government's capacity to respond independently.