Kenya’s north-eastern border county of Mandera has been thrust into uncertainty following reports that armed Jubaland forces crossed into the town, shutting down schools and forcing families to flee in fear.
The government has denied the allegations, insisting that the movement of people into Mandera consists of civilians escaping clashes in neighbouring Somalia.
Social media platforms lit up on Thursday with claims that Jubaland soldiers were visible inside Mandera town. “ALARMING SITUATION IN MANDERA. Jubaland forces are now inside Mandera Town. Schools have been shut down, businesses paralysed, and families displaced in fear of stray bullets,” wrote Mandera politician Ali Roba.
Other posts alleged that a local school had been seized by fighters for training purposes. “Apparently, Jubaland Forces crossed over to Mandera, took a primary school as training ground. Nothing from security forces,” one widely shared message read. “Meanwhile, a Kenyan with a flag can be abducted and charged as terrorist. Did the government strike a deal with terror groups?”
The online debate quickly drew in political voices from across the country. “It is the responsibility of KDF to protect our borders, not tribes living there,” said Mohamed Wahliye, rejecting attempts to blame Mandera’s Somali community for the situation. “When Uganda occupies Migingo, do you ask where are the Luos? Somali bashing has become fashionable indeed.”
Critics accused the government of downplaying the seriousness of the crisis. “Jubaland forces are illegally occupying our country and harassing our people in Mandera while Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen is busy lying to us,” read one post that tagged President William Ruto directly.
Murkomen, however, dismissed the reports of an armed occupation, saying the government had verified that no foreign forces had crossed into Kenya. “What is happening in Mandera is a humanitarian situation caused by intensified clashes inside Somalia,” the Interior Cabinet Secretary said in a statement on Thursday evening. “We can confirm that some families have crossed into Kenya seeking safety. There is no evidence of organised Jubaland troops inside Mandera town.”
He added that the government had “deployed adequate security personnel to safeguard the border and maintain calm” and urged the public “not to fall for alarmist reports that only fuel fear and division.”
Despite the reassurances, residents remain unsettled. The claims of foreign fighters in Mandera have sparked concerns about border stability and the risk of strained diplomatic relations with Mogadishu.
The Mandera tensions came as another fierce online debate unfolded over the government’s flagship Social Health Authority (SHA) reforms, which have replaced the National Health Insurance Fund. Pro-government accounts promoted the hashtags #TruthPrevails and SHA The Gamechanger to highlight what they described as the scheme’s early successes.
“SHA is changing the culture in hospitals,” one message read. “Staff now work with confidence knowing reimbursements are timely and systems efficient.” Another user claimed: “Hospitals can now invest in better equipment, hire more staff, and improve patient care—all powered by SHA.”
The campaign linked the health reforms to the administration’s affordable housing programme, casting both as evidence of delivery on promises. “They said SHA won’t work. Today, it is already outperforming NHIF,” read one of the viral posts.
At the centre of the conversation was a recent correction by Bishop Joseph Obanyi, who had earlier claimed that SHA had failed to disburse funds to St Mary’s Hospital in Mumias. He later clarified that the facility had indeed received KSh98 million. Supporters of the government pointed to this as evidence of misinformation being used to discredit the reforms. “Misinformation can derail progress,” one user warned.
Yet critics argue that the government has not provided enough transparency. Opposition voices say that without public audits, claims of success remain unverified.
Meanwhile, Kenya’s media faced criticism over its coverage of Mandera. Social media users accused The Standard newspaper of sensationalising insecurity. “Irresponsible reporting is the slow poison of a nation,” one person wrote, while another warned: “Countries like Rwanda were burned down by such reckless reporting. A media house should always try to report in a way that doesn’t demean a country’s stability.”
In a separate development, the appointment of lawyer Faith Odhiambo to a new Panel of Experts tasked with compensating victims of protest violence drew praise. The panel is expected to work with families, government agencies and civil society groups to ensure reparations and advance policing reforms. “Faith Odhiambo represents the kind of leadership Kenya needs—measured, principled, and focused on results,” said one commentator.
