Ali Roba demands urgent action as Somalia conflict spillover threatens Mandera residents
By Ascah Mwango, August 12, 2025Mandera Senator Ali Roba has sounded the alarm over what he describes as a worsening security situation in the border town, warning that residents are living in constant fear due to fighting in neighbouring Somalia.
In a statement shared via his X account on Tuesday, August 12, 2025, Roba said Mandera has in recent weeks experienced multiple incidents where stray bullets, rockets and live ordnance from across the border have landed on Kenyan soil.
“ENOUGH! Mandera Town is under constant threat from Somalia’s endless wars. Stray bullets, rockets & live ordnance are hitting Kenyan soil, endangering lives & destroying property,” Roba stated.
These incidents, he said, are not isolated accidents but the direct result of ongoing armed conflicts in Somalia that have spilt over into Kenya.
Roba painted a grim picture of life in Mandera, with families forced to stay indoors, children unable to play outside and businesses closing earlier than usual due to fear of gunfire or explosions. Entire neighbourhoods, he noted, are now accustomed to bracing themselves for the next stray bullet or blast.
He attributed the crisis to continued hostilities between Somalia’s federal government and the semi-autonomous Jubaland administration, as well as the persistent threat posed by al-Shabaab militants. The senator argued that these conflicts have repeatedly breached Kenya’s territorial integrity and endangered the lives of Kenyan citizens.
“In recent weeks, Mandera residents have faced multiple incidents of stray bullets, live ordnance & rockets from fighting across the Somalia border. These are not accidents; they are the direct spillover of unending conflicts. Families live in fear. Children cannot play outside. Businesses shut early. Entire neighbourhoods brace for the next stray bullet or explosion. This is no way for Kenyan citizens to live. The Federal Government of Somalia & the Jubaland Administration must be told: Their wars are crossing our border & violating Kenya’s sovereignty,” he said.
Roba called on the Kenyan government to take decisive measures to protect residents in Mandera and to make it clear to authorities in Mogadishu and Kismayo that cross-border hostilities are unacceptable. He stressed that safeguarding lives and property in Mandera must remain a top national priority and that urgent action is required to prevent further casualties.
Somalia-Jubaland clash
The warning comes amid heightened tensions along the Kenya–Somalia border. Recent clashes between Somalia’s National Army and Jubaland forces near the border town of Belet Hawa have spilled into Kenyan territory, injuring civilians.
Somalia’s insecurity is rooted in decades of civil war that began in 1991 after the collapse of the central government. The country has since been plagued by clan rivalries, political disputes and militant violence. In the south, the Jubaland crisis has intensified as the federal government and the regional administration continue to clash over control of territory and resources. Al-Shabaab militants have also escalated attacks this year, launching the Shabelle offensive in February, which has further destabilised the region.