IG Kanja’s inspection of Moyale
Experts from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) safely detonated three shoulder-fired rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) found in the Sessi area of Moyale Sub-County in Marsabit County, close to the Ethiopian border.
Officials confirmed that this was the second operation of its kind carried out within two weeks, as security tensions along the border continue to escalate.
The explosives, which had no visible registration markings, were destroyed on Monday, November 9, after reports that two RPGs had landed near a slaughterhouse close to the border.
Officials said the two rockets, which had stabilising fins at the rear, were fired from the Ethiopian side at around 2:00 a.m. on Monday and landed several metres inside Kenyan territory.
KDF officers stationed in Moyale carried out the planned operation to detonate the rockets, with no deaths, injuries or property damage reported.
As they returned from the site of the operation, the troops found a third RPG lying beside the road near Sessi Mixed Secondary School.
The third rocket, which did not have stabilising fins, was also carefully and safely detonated.
Security agencies said they had increased the number of troops deployed to the area to prevent the worsening situation, as the rockets are being fired by rival groups targeting asylum seekers who have crossed into Kenya.
The government confirmed that nearly 40,000 Ethiopian nationals had crossed into Kenya and were currently being accommodated in Moyale after conflict broke out in parts of Ethiopia.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said unrest in Ethiopia had forced thousands of people to flee to Kenya for safety.
“The issue is that there has been some tension on the Ethiopian side. That situation has caused up to 40,000 people to flee to Kenya,” he said.
Mudavadi added that he had contacted his Ethiopian government counterpart and asked him to intervene to stabilise the situation and enable displaced families to return home.
“I told him to try to calm the situation in their country so that the refugees can return to their homes,” Mudavadi said.
He also said the Ethiopian government had assured Kenya that it was working to restore normalcy.
“They assured us that they would do their best to restore everything to normal, after which the people could return to their areas,” Mudavadi added.
The large-scale displacement resulted from violent clashes that began in October 2026 and are rooted in deep disputes over borders and administration between Ethiopia’s Oromia and Somali regional states.
The fighting has displaced thousands of families, with many seeking shelter in schools, churches and temporary camps, while others have found refuge with relatives and local residents.
Kenya’s Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, ordered additional police officers to be deployed to Moyale in Marsabit County amid serious concerns over the security impact of the unrest in Ethiopia.
Kanja announced the security reinforcement on November 5 during a visit to the border town to assess the security situation, where he chaired a crucial meeting with regional security commanders.
He instructed officers deployed to the area to remain vigilant and increase patrols and surveillance to protect the lives and property of civilians.
The Inspector General assured residents that the National Police Service (NPS) was committed to maintaining peace and stability in the area through enhanced security operations.
“We are here to ensure the safety of all visitors and residents. We will ensure that additional officers are deployed to guarantee full security,” he said.
He also urged the community to cooperate with security agencies and promptly share vital information without hesitation to prevent any security threat.
Kanja visited a camp housing families displaced by the conflict and promised enhanced security and coordinated humanitarian assistance in partnership with aid agencies.
The security assessment came amid concerns over instability in neighbouring Ethiopia and the negative consequences it could have for security along Kenya’s northern border.
Kanja was accompanied on the visit by the Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohammed Amin; the General Service Unit (GSU) commander, Johanna Tonui; and the Director of Operations at the Kenya Police Service, Philip Opiyo.
Other officials present included Eastern Regional Commissioner Jacob Muganda, Eastern Regional Police Commander Stephen Chebet, Eastern Regional Administration Police Commander Michael Owino and Regional Criminal Investigations Officer Michael Sang, along with other senior security officials.
The visit came a day after a 20-year-old woman was seriously injured by a stray bullet believed to have crossed from Ethiopia into Moyale town in Marsabit County.
The incident occurred on November 4, 2026, at around 12:15 p.m. while the woman was at her home in the Biashara area.
Police confirmed that two bullets struck her in the back, causing her to lose consciousness at the scene.
She was rushed to Taqwa Nursing Home Hospital, where doctors removed both bullets.
The victim was admitted in critical condition as police began recording and investigating the incident.
It remains unclear what officially caused the bullets to cross the border and enter Kenyan territory.
This is the latest incident of its kind in the area, as tensions resulting from fighting between two communities in Ethiopia continue to intensify.
A 65-year-old woman also died in the same area after being hit by a stray bullet suspected to have originated from the conflict in neighbouring Ethiopia.
The deceased was identified as Amina Guchi, who was reportedly at the Moyale County administrative offices, near the Moyale Law Courts, when the incident occurred on November 2, 2026.
Guchi was speaking to an on-duty security officer when a stray bullet struck her in the back of the head.
She immediately fell to the ground unconscious and was rushed to Moyale Sub-County Referral Hospital, where she was confirmed dead on arrival.
Police officers later visited the hospital, and after a post-mortem examination, her body was handed over to her family for burial.
Conflict is ongoing in neighbouring Moyale, displacing more than 50,000 people.
Local security officials had earlier successfully detonated three RPG rockets reported to have landed in the area after being fired from the Ethiopian side.
The explosives were found on Sunday, November 1, 2026, after reports of unexploded ordnance remnants landing near Sessi Primary School.
The incident disrupted lessons and examinations at the institution.
Two centres in Moyale Sub-County, Marsabit County, where Kenya’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations were being administered, were moved to other locations because of insecurity arising from communal conflict along the Kenya-Ethiopia border.
According to police, the explosives were found in two different locations; one was discovered at Sessi Primary School, while the other two were found at the offices of the Meteorological Department in Met
