MANDERA– President William Ruto has announced that the Mandera Border Post will be reopened in April, restoring cross-border movement between Kenya and Somalia after a prolonged closure.

Addressing residents in Mandera, the President termed the continued shutdown unacceptable, saying it had disrupted families and trade.

“It is unacceptable that fellow Kenyans in Mandera remain cut off from their kin and neighbours in Somalia due to the prolonged closure of the Mandera Border Post,” President Ruto said.

“Accordingly, we will reopen the border post in April, restoring connectivity and revitalising cross-border trade for the mutual prosperity of our people.”

The Head of State also unveiled measures to address the county’s ongoing power shortages, announcing the installation of a 3-megawatt generator as an immediate intervention while long-term plans are implemented.

“To address the acute power shortage in the county, we shall, in the short term, install a 3-megawatt generator to stabilise supply even as we fast-track plans to connect Mandera to the Ethiopian power grid for a more sustainable solution,” he said.

On drought mitigation, President Ruto noted that the government is scaling up support for affected communities across the Northern Frontier.

“Beyond the food relief currently being distributed across the drought-stricken Northern Frontier, we are also providing animal feed for livestock, the economic backbone of families in the region,” he said.

At Mandera Stadium, the President presided over the disbursement of KSh63 million under the NYOTA Business Start-Up Capital programme to 2,520 beneficiaries, aimed at empowering young entrepreneurs.

“This support will empower our youth to build enterprises, create jobs and strengthen the local economy,” President Ruto said.

The initiatives, he added, are part of the government’s broader commitment to inclusive growth and ensuring that no region of the country is left behind.