DNK International By Our Correspondent,Moyale.
About 35,000 Ethiopians have reportedly sought refuge in Kenya following escalating violence in neighbouring Ethiopia, triggering an urgent need for humanitarian assistance in Moyale.
The influx has put pressure on local resources, including food, clean water, sanitation facilities and healthcare services, as thousands of displaced people seek safety across the border.
Marsabit County Commissioner Stanley Kamande said approximately 15,000 refugees were living in temporary camps, while another 20,000 had settled within local communities.
Kamande made the remarks during a visit to Moyale Sub-County to assess the security situation and the living conditions of families fleeing the conflict.
He commended humanitarian organisations and local residents for providing food, water and other emergency assistance but warned that more support was urgently needed.
The refugees require blankets, tents, mosquito nets and improved sanitation facilities, with cold nights and inadequate toilets worsening their living conditions.
Kamande appealed to humanitarian partners to increase their interventions as the conflict continued across the border.
The insecurity has also disrupted cross border trade, with trucks unable to transport goods in either direction.
Several businesses near Kenya’s side of the One-Stop Border Post have reportedly closed amid fears of stray bullets and uncertainty over security.
Moyale Sub-County Administrator Dida Golicha said the Marsabit County Government had distributed food supplies, including rice and beans, to support displaced families.
He added that the county government was working with health officials to ensure refugees received medical attention.
Sub-County Health Officer Abdi Suku said the displaced people were spread across six temporary camps, where overcrowding and inadequate sanitation posed significant public health risks.
Suku reported three suspected measles cases, with the affected individuals isolated as samples awaited laboratory confirmation by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI).
He also confirmed that two deliveries had taken place in the camps, adding that Moyale Sub-County Hospital remained operational around the clock to handle emergencies.
An ambulance was also available to provide emergency transport for patients requiring urgent medical attention.
The growing humanitarian situation has heightened concerns over the capacity of local communities and facilities to meet the needs of thousands of displaced people, prompting renewed calls for increased assistance from humanitarian organisations and other partners.
[Daily News Kenya-International@October 25,2026]
