UN releases Sh330 million as 50,000 Ethiopians escape violence into Kenya

Kenya is set to receive emergency humanitarian support worth Sh330 million from the United Nations as the number of Ethiopians escaping violence in their country approaches 50,000, raising concerns over the growing strain on communities and public services in the border town of Moyale.

The funding was announced on Friday, November 6, 2026, by UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher, who said $3 million had been drawn from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help relief agencies respond to the crisis.

The allocation is intended to support organisations providing essential supplies and services to families who have crossed into Kenya following intercommunal clashes in southern Ethiopia.

“Intercommunal violence in southern Ethiopia has forced nearly 50k people to flee into Kenya,” Fletcher said in a statement.

“I’ve allocated $3M from UN’s Global Emergency Fund CERF to help partners urgently deliver life-saving food, water, shelter, and health.”

The Sh330 million allocation, calculated at an exchange rate of Sh110 to the dollar, comes at a time when humanitarian organisations are struggling to meet the needs of thousands of new arrivals in Marsabit County.

Data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) showed that approximately 50,000 people had entered Kenya by October 29. Aid agencies and government officials have warned that the number could increase if fighting and insecurity continue across the border.

The actual number of displaced people is, however, still being established as humanitarian teams continue registering new arrivals and assessing their needs.

Families struggle to access basic needs

A large proportion of those escaping the violence are women and children, many of whom have been forced to leave their homes and belongings behind.

Although some families have received accommodation from relatives and residents of Moyale, others are relying on temporary shelters set up in schools and other public facilities.

The growing population of displaced people has increased demand for food, drinking water, medical attention, sanitation facilities and safe accommodation.

Local residents are also facing pressure as they share their limited resources with the newcomers, raising concerns about the ability of host communities to sustain the support for an extended period.

IOM Kenya Chief of Mission Nomagugu Ncube has cautioned that the situation remains unpredictable, with further arrivals likely to increase the burden on local services.

“Thousands of people have crossed into Kenya seeking safety, and most are being sheltered by local communities,” Ncube said in an October 29 statement.

She noted that humanitarian efforts must take into account the needs of both the families escaping the violence and the residents who have opened their homes to them.

Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, has sent an emergency response team to Moyale to help coordinate relief operations.

The agency is working alongside the Kenyan government, the Department of Refugee Services, IOM, UNICEF, the World Food Programme and the Kenya Red Cross Society to reach affected families.

UNHCR has also started organising emergency supplies, including essential household goods and materials for temporary shelters, with its initial assistance programme targeting close to 12,000 people.

Police increase patrols in Moyale

The growing humanitarian emergency has also heightened security concerns in northern Kenya, particularly because of the conflict's proximity to the country's border and its disruption of normal activities and trade.

Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja visited Moyale on November 6, where he assured residents that security agencies had increased surveillance and patrols to prevent the fighting from extending into Kenyan territory.

The government is also working with local authorities and humanitarian organisations to manage the arrival of displaced people, coordinate relief activities and monitor movements along the border.

The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights has called on the government to ensure that the response to the crisis protects the rights and dignity of everyone seeking safety.

The commission wants refugees to receive humane treatment, access to basic services and protection from being sent back to areas where they could face further danger.

It has further raised concern over the need to reach displaced families who are living with relatives and host households, warning that humanitarian assistance should not be restricted to people staying in designated temporary shelters.

UN agencies seek additional funding

The latest displacement is linked to longstanding tensions between communities in Ethiopia's Oromia and Somali regional states, where disagreements over territorial administration, political representation and local leadership have repeatedly contributed to violence.

The clashes around Moyale have forced families to abandon their homes and sources of livelihood, with the effects of the conflict now being felt across the border in Kenya.

The scale of the emergency has pushed humanitarian organisations to seek more resources to sustain their operations and prepare for a possible rise in the number of people arriving.

UNHCR, IOM, UNICEF and the World Food Programme have appealed for $8.9 million (Sh979 million) to assist approximately 50,000 displaced people over three months.

The agencies have also drawn up contingency plans that could cover as many as 80,000 people should the situation deteriorate and more families seek refuge in Kenya.

Fletcher's Sh330 million allocation is expected to provide immediate financial support for the relief effort, but humanitarian agencies still face the challenge of maintaining assistance as demand grows.

For thousands of families who have crossed the border, securing food, clean water, shelter and medical care remains an immediate concern. Their return to Ethiopia will largely depend on whether peace and security can be restored in the areas affected by the fighting.