About 35,000 Ethiopians have reportedly sought refuge in Kenya following violent clashes in neighbouring Moyale, Ethiopia, prompting calls for urgent humanitarian assistance.
Business operations at the Kenya-Ethiopia border in Moyale have been disrupted, with trucks unable to transport goods across the border in either direction. Several shops near the Kenyan side of the One-Stop Border Post have also been closed down amid fears of stray bullets and uncertainty over the security situation.
Meanwhile, the rising influx of refugees from Ethiopia is increasing pressure on limited supplies of food, clean water and sanitation facilities on the Kenyan side of the border.
Marsabit County Commissioner Stanley Kamande noted this during a visit to Moyale Sub-County to assess the security situation and the conditions of displaced families fleeing the ongoing conflict.
Kamande said approximately 15,000 refugees were living in camps, while another 20,000 had been integrated into local communities.
He commended humanitarian organizations and residents of Moyale for providing food, water and other emergency services.
However, he said the refugees urgently needed blankets, tents, mosquito nets and sanitation facilities, noting that cold nights and inadequate toilets were worsening living conditions.
He appealed to humanitarian partners to increase their support as the conflict continued across the border.
Moyale Sub-County Administrator Dida Golicha said the Marsabit County Government had distributed food commodities, including rice and beans, to support displaced families.
He added that the county was working with health officials to ensure received medical assistance.
Sub-County Health Officer Abdi Suku said the refugees were spread across six temporary camps, where overcrowding and inadequate sanitation posed serious health risks.
He reported three suspected measles cases, which had been isolated pending laboratory confirmation at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).
Suku also reported two deliveries in the camps and said Moyale Sub-County Hospital remained open around the clock to handle emergencies, with an ambulance available to support urgent cases.
Meanwhile, Kenya Red Cross Representative Malik Adan said the organization had begun distributing shelter kits targeting 1,000 households and providing cereals and porridge for children under five.
He warned that the growing number of displaced people was stretching available water, food, sanitation and medical supplies.
Adan appealed to humanitarian partners to provide additional food, shelter, blankets, clean water and medical supplies.
Some Ethiopians stranded in Kenya have also appealed for assistance to return home. Kulong Duoth, a trader from Ethiopia’s Gambella region, said he had been unable to return home after travelling to Kenya to purchase merchandise for his business.
Another displaced resident of Ethiopia, Bashir Ali, called on the Kenyan and Ethiopian government to protect civilians and help end the fighting, saying many families had fled without their belongings.
The clashes have reportedly been linked to disputes over local administration and display of a regional flag in Moyale Ethiopian side, disrupting transport and trade.
Kenyan Authorities have deployed security personnel along the border to maintain stability and protect displaced families.
County Commissioner Kamande, appealed to those involved in the conflict to end the violence, warning that innocent civilians, particularly women and children bearing the brunt of the conflict.
By Anthony Melly
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