- Title: [SW News] Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) Kenya Opens Border With Somalia
- From:[]
- Date :[Wednesday, April 12, 2000 8:05 PM EST ]
Kenya Opens Border With Somalia
Story Filed: Wednesday, April 12, 2000 8:05 PM EST
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) (Panafrican News Agency, April 12, 2000) - Kenya has re-opened
its border with Somalia, the president's office
announced Wednesday.
It quoted President Daniel arap Moi as saying the move would allow customs officials to
now operate at all border entry points to facilitate the continuation of legal business
between the two neighbours.
Moi ordered the closure of the border August, explaining that he had taken the move to
prevent the illegal entry of aliens, contraband and illegal arms.
He said then that the influx of arms and other contraband was detrimental to the
security of the country, blaming the rising insecurity in northern Kenya and in most urban
centres of the country on this influx.
Moi also announced a total ban on all flights between Kenya and Somalia
and ordered Kenyan security personnel to police the border between the two countries.
He said the insecurity emanating from the warring factions in Somalia,
which was spilling over into Kenya, was not conducive to the country's security and
development agenda.
Somalia has been without a central authority
since the overthrow of the late President Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.
Since then, the country has remained ungovernable with various clan leaders controlling
over different areas of the country, including the capital, Mogadishu, with one area
breaking off calling itself Somaliland.
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