Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Wednesday, July 5, postponed the reopening of the Kenya-Somalia border over increased terror attacks.
The CS gave the directive when he paid a visit to Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel stationed in Mandera, Garissa and Wajir.
An official from the Ministry of Interior told Kenyans.co.ke that the decision to postpone reopening the border was arrived at primarily to give the Kenyan Government room to review security operations and assess its preparedness to deal with terror threats from the Al Shabaab militia.
"We need to streamline issues touching on our security before we open. We need a good review of the entire thing," he stated without revealing the new timelines when the borders would be reopened.
The new directive deviated from an earlier order given by President William Ruto in mid-May aimed at gradually opening the border within a span of 90 days.
According to Kindiki, the ministry's original plan aimed to commence the opening of the Mandera - Bula Hawa border by June 2023, with three additional borders scheduled to follow within two months.
"We have resolved that the border between Kenya and Somalia will be reopened in a phased-out manner within the next 90 days.
"Within another 60 days from now, we should be able to open another border point," Kindiki announced at a press conference he held on May 15.
A month later, the Head of State defended the decision noting that the country was ready to face Al Shabaab head-on.
“It was and it still is the right decision because we have to confront the challenges of Al Shabaab. We intend and have every chance to defeat the terror group," Ruto insisted.
Attacks
On Sunday, June 25, a group of armed goons raided Salama-Kibaoni region in Lamu County burning down two houses and torturing five people to death.
Lamu West Sub-County Police Commander Harrison Njuguna confirmed to the press that a manhunt had been launched against the attackers.
“The motive behind the killings is suspected to be a dispute over grazing land,” Njuguna stated at the time.
On June 21, three other people including police officers were also killed after Al Shabaab militia ambushed them along Banisa-Rhamu road in Mandera.
Five others sustained injuries.
