Fury as Jubaland troops set base in Kenya amid rising insecurity

Demonstration by residents in Mandera County over the presence of Jubaland soldiers has exposed the national government’s double-speak on the matter.

On Tuesday, angry protesters marched to the County Commissioner’s office demanding expulsion of the foreign fighters camping in Omar Jillo area, Mandera East.

They took to the streets following the earlier killing of six people heading to Arabia township, near the Kenya-Somalia border. A lone gunman on Saturday morning emerged from the thicket, spraying bullets on the hired matatu they were travelling in. 

Most of the victims are related and were heading to a religious function in Arabia. Armed with the petition seeking the removal of foreign soldiers, the residents linked the deteriorating security in the county to the presence of the Jubaland troops.

Initially, due to fear of facing reprisals, locals avoided raising the alarm about the presence of foreign military personnel residing in Kenya. While concerned residents kept complaining in silence, the government constantly downplayed the presence of the Jubaland army. Residents link the foreign military to the current instability in the country.

On September 3, 2025, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen dismissed reports of the external incursion. Responding to fears that Jubaland soldiers battling Somali National Army (SNA) forces had sought refuge in Mandera, Murkomen insisted Kenya has no agreement or policy permitting either Somalia or regional troops to fight from its soil.

According to the CS, there was a possibility that the individuals sighted were likely fleeing conflict across the border. “The people in Mandera are not in Kenya on an invitation from the government. They may be fleeing wars in their country. Our policy is clear, we do not allow foreign forces, whether national or regional, to fight from our side of the border,” said Murkomen in Busia.

At the time, fighting between the two forces heightened over control of the Gedo region, occupied by the influential Marehan clan that straddles both sides of the border. For long, the strategic region has been under the grip of the Jubaland administration headed by Ahmed Mohamed Islam, alias Madobe.

Jubaland, once earmarked as a critical buffer zone for Kenya against the spread of Al-Shabaab militancy, became a battle zone with the spill over of the war being felt in Kenya, where fleeing locals and armed soldiers sought refuge.

The ripple effect was felt in Mandera town, where learners were unable to report back to classes for the third term after close to 5,000 Somali refugees occupied three schools.

Since then, Mandera has been experiencing frequent insecurity incidents, with the latest being the killing of six relatives, prompting the protests by locals who petitioned County Commissioner James Chacha. The protesters marched through the town demanding action from security agencies and calling for the removal of Jubaland forces reportedly residing in Omar Jillo, whom some residents accused of being linked to the tragic incident.

Carrying placards and chanting slogans, the demonstrators marched from the Green View area in Mandera Town to the County Commissioner’s office to present their grievances to authorities. Residents claimed those behind the deadly attack were operating from Omar Jillo, and called for security intervention.

Addressing the residents, Chacha urged them to remain calm and allow security agencies to investigate and handle the matter professionally. “Mandera has enjoyed peace for a long time, and we should not allow anyone to destroy the peace we have built. Those responsible for the killings will be apprehended and brought to justice,” he said.

He further appealed to residents not to engage in retaliatory actions that could escalate tensions. While consoling the bereaved families, Mandera East MP Hussein Weytan echoed his constituents’ concerns, calling for the immediate expulsion of Jubaland soldiers.

“We won’t tolerate the presence of Jubaland forces who are killing our people and raping our women. We are giving the government an ultimatum of two weeks to remove them from Omar Jillow village,” he said.

Security operations have since been intensified along the affected routes as authorities continue to probe the attack while pursuing those responsible. Amid the heightened tensions, leaders and security officials have been urging for peace, restraint, and cooperation.

A security officer expressed concern that the presence of the Jubaland fighters poses serious security challenges since some of them have integrated into local communities, where they exchange firearms and ammunition that ultimately cause havoc. “Some of them have been assimilated by locals who benefit through the exchange of animals and firearms. There are instances when the Jubaland forces are used to settle scores,” said the officer, adding that identifying the foreign fighters has been a challenge since locals are reluctant to expose them.

Yesterday, despite promising to respond to our inquiry over the current situation, Chacha did not do so by the time of going to press. “I am currently held up in a meeting, please can you call me later?” said the County Commissioner, who did not respond to subsequent phone calls.

The situation in Mandera is unfolding as President William Ruto on Wednesday made an abrupt U-turn on his promise to reopen the Kenya-Somalia border, which was closed 15 years ago due to Al Shabaab threats.

In an interview with France 24 television, President Ruto ruled out the reopening of the border any time soon due to the fluid situation on the ground. According to Ruto, the decision has been put on hold because tensions between SNA and Jubaland forces have escalated, Somalia is facing elections and the term of elections has expired.

“We were moving well until there was a huge disagreement between the government in Mogadishu and the states and unfortunately, there was an escalation of war between the Somali National Army and the Jubaland forces, which are right at the border in Kenya,” he said.

Observers, among them security analyst George Musamali, have raised concerns over the timing and security implications of the move, arguing that the border, particularly in Mandera, has been the hardest hit, and opening it could facilitate further infiltration.

During the interview on the sidelines of the Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi, President Ruto disclosed that the situation that was getting better took a turn for the worse. Informing his decision to shelve the border re-opening.