Marsabit Woman Representative raises alarm over plight of Ethiopian refugees in Moyale.

By Samuel Kosgei.

Marsabit County Woman Representative Naomi Jillo Wako has raised concern over the growing humanitarian crisis facing thousands of people fleeing conflict in Ethiopia and seeking refuge in Kenya through the border town of Moyale.

During a visit to the affected communities in Moyale, Naomi appealed to local leaders, the national government and international humanitarian organisations to scale up relief efforts and provide urgent assistance to those displaced by the fighting.

She warned that the situation could deteriorate further if hostilities in Ethiopia persist, noting that the growing number of refugees is putting immense pressure on local communities.

“In the camps, we have over 10,000 people, while in the villages, host communities and relatives have sheltered over 25,000 people. This means that very soon, communities will run out of food and may no longer be able to host them,” she said.

Naomi observed that families hosting the refugees are increasingly struggling to meet basic needs, including food, shelter and medical care, and urged the relevant authorities to intervene before the situation worsens.

According to the UNHCR, more than 50,000 people have crossed into Kenya since fighting erupted around October 21 and 22, 2026.

The clashes reportedly began on October 18 following a dispute over the hoisting of a regional flag and the killing of a 13-year-old girl, before escalating into sustained armed confrontations between forces from Ethiopia’s Somali and Oromia regional states.