Mandera, Kenya — Political leaders from Mandera County in Kenya’s North Eastern region have once again voiced concern over the continued presence of Jubaland forces within the town, warning that their stay is stoking fear and tension among residents.Who and What Happened
According to Mandera East MP Hussein Weytan, armed troops belonging to Somalia’s Jubaland regional administration crossed into Mandera shortly after deadly clashes erupted in late July between Somali federal forces and Jubaland fighters in Beled-Hawo, the Somali border town that sits cheek by jowl with Mandera. Weytan said the foreign troops, now stationed in residential areas, are intimidating civilians and aggravating an already volatile security situation.
“Our people are suffering because of a conflict that is not theirs,” the lawmaker told reporters. “These Jubaland forces are inside Mandera, and the community is living in fear.”
The troops reportedly moved into Mandera town in early August 2025, following nearly a month after the July clashes in Beled-Hawo, a battle that left several casualties and displaced hundreds on both sides of the Somali-Kenyan frontier.
Mandera, a county of strategic importance, lies at the intersection of Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, and has long been vulnerable to spillover conflicts and militant infiltration.
Local leaders fear the foreign soldiers’ presence could drag Mandera residents into Somalia’s internal political and military rivalries, particularly the tug-of-war between Mogadishu’s federal government and the Jubaland administration led by President Ahmed Madobe.
For years, Kenya has walked a delicate tightrope — hosting Jubaland leaders and maintaining security ties across the border, while also facing accusations from Mogadishu that Nairobi is meddling in Somalia’s domestic affairs.
The arrival of Jubaland troops inside Mandera adds a combustible layer to the mix, potentially violating Kenya’s sovereignty and exposing residents to retaliation either from Somali federal forces or extremist groups like Al-Shabaab.
The Mandera-Beled-Hawo border zone has been a flashpoint of conflict for more than a decade. In January 2021, a similar skirmish between Somali federal troops and Jubaland fighters spilled over into Mandera, forcing schools and businesses to close and prompting Nairobi to lodge diplomatic complaints.
Kenya’s involvement with Jubaland dates back to 2011, when the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) entered Somalia to fight Al-Shabaab and later helped install Ahmed Madobe’s administration in Kismayo. While Nairobi views Jubaland as a buffer zone against militant incursions, Mogadishu sees it as a proxy force undermining federal authority.
The Kenyan government has not yet issued an official statement on the latest developments, but residents report that Jubaland fighters are living among civilians, raising fears of clashes erupting within Kenyan territory.
MP Hussein Weytan urged Nairobi to intervene swiftly:
“The government must act to ensure foreign forces are removed from Mandera. Our people deserve peace, not to be entangled in Somalia’s endless wars.”
As Kenya heads into a politically charged period and Somalia continues to grapple with instability, Mandera finds itself once again at the crossroads of regional geopolitics. The question that lingers is whether Kenya will assert its sovereignty and move the Jubaland troops out — or whether this uneasy status quo will push the fragile frontier closer to another round of conflict.
