*Health CS Aden Duale speaking at the event./STEPHEN ASTARIKO*

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Health CS Aden Duale has renewed calls for the reopening of the Kenya–Somalia border, declaring that the long-standing closure is largely ineffective and denying the government revenue and oversight.

Speaking during a graduation ceremony at Madarasa Manar in Waberi Ward, Garissa Township, Duale said cross-border movement continues informally despite the official shutdown.

“The border could have created better revenue for the government. Immigration authorities would have had the opportunity to vet people properly. But as it stands, you are saying the border is closed, yet that is only on paper,” he said.

The CS revealed that he has already engaged President William Ruto on the matter and expressed optimism that the official reopening of crossing points will be achieved.

“We want the border to be open, and I will continue to engage the President on this issue,” he added.

Duale argued that reopening the frontier would breathe life into local economies in Garissa and the wider North Eastern region by restoring livelihoods and enhancing trade.

He noted that formalising movement across the border would boost revenue collection, improve regulation and strengthen cooperation between Kenya and Somalia.

Earlier in February, President Ruto announced plans to reopen the border during a development tour in Mandera, ending a closure that had lasted for over 15 years.

The President said the move is aimed at unlocking trade opportunities, improving economic prospects in Northeastern counties and reconnecting communities separated by the prolonged shutdown.

“It is unacceptable that fellow Kenyans in Mandera remain cut off from their kin and neighbours in Somalia,” Ruto said at the time.

He also assured residents that adequate security measures would be put in place, including deployment of additional police officers at key border points, expressing confidence that securing the frontier is no longer a major challenge.

The planned reopening aligns with Somalia’s recent admission into the East African Community, a move expected to deepen regional integration and cooperation.

The Kenya–Somalia border was closed between 2011 and 2012 at the height of insecurity linked to the militant group Al-Shabaab.

Efforts to reopen the border in 2023 were shelved following a resurgence of attacks, highlighting ongoing security concerns.

Under current government plans, the reopening will be phased, beginning with key crossing points in Mandera, Liboi and Kiunga.

For residents of the North Eastern region, where cross-border trade has long sustained livelihoods, the reopening remains an urgent priority.

Local leaders and communities have repeatedly urged the government to fast-track the process, saying restoring formal trade routes will unlock economic potential and improve living standards.