Approximately 50,000 individuals have entered Kenya's Moyale zone from Ethiopia since late October, driven by intensifying border conflicts. The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) confirmed this updated figure on Wednesday, noting it represents an increase from previous counts of 36,000. Verification processes continue as the agency monitors the border. ACLED, a conflict monitoring group, attributes the latest surge to a dispute over a Somali regional office in a contested area of Ethiopian Moyale, rooted in long-standing tensions between Borana and Garre communities.
A rapid survey of 758 households, carried out by Kenyan authorities with assistance from IOM and other UN bodies, revealed severe resource gaps. The study found that 71% of households lack adequate food, while 80% cite food as their primary need. Nomagugu Ncube, IOM’s chief in Kenya, stated that displaced families and host communities are both strained by limited supplies. Additionally, 44% of households reported poor access to clean drinking water, and over three-quarters lacked basic handwashing stations.
Living conditions in temporary sites like Somare and Taqwa Mosque are particularly challenging due to scarce water and sanitation. Most refugees stay with local relatives, increasing pressure on host households. Others have taken shelter in schools or churches, while some sleep outdoors. Over half of the displaced are children, many under five, facing health risks due to poor living conditions. The survey indicated that 96% of families originated from Ethiopia’s Oromia and Somali regions, with most reporting their entire villages had fled.
Humanitarian partners, including UNHCR, UNICEF, and WFP, have requested $8.9 million to provide essential aid to the 50,000 displaced. This funding aims to expand food distribution, shelter, water, and medical care. Fatima Mohammed-Cole, UNHCR’s representative in Kenya, expressed gratitude to the Kenyan government for its support. She noted that teams are working to manage the large influx and prevent disease outbreaks. The assessment highlighted that healthcare access is difficult for more than half of households due to high costs and medicine shortages.