NAIROBI— Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has firmly defended the location of a proposed multi-agency security installation, asserting that the site lies squarely within Wajir County and not in Marsabit’s Moyale Constituency as alleged.
In a statement to Parliament responding to concerns raised by Moyale MP Prof. Guyo Jaldesa, CS Murkomen clarified that the facility is in Tito Sub-Location, Lakoley South Location, Basir Division of Eldas Sub-County, Eldas Constituency, Wajir County. Residents in the area vote at Polling Station 026 Tito Centre in Lakoley South/Basir Ward, confirming its administrative status under Wajir.
The CS emphasized that the Basir corridor serves as a major conduit for arms, narcotics and human trafficking, while also acting as a staging area for the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). Due to long distances, rough terrain, armed militias and challenges with some community leaders and officials, Wajir’s County Security and Intelligence Committee (CSIC) identified the need for a multi-agency facility at Basir to improve security coverage. This decision was backed by multiple CSIC deliberations since May 2025 and reinforced during the Jukwaa la Usalama forum on September 24, 2025.
An initial proposed site near Malkatitu, about 4 km from the boundary, faced opposition from Marsabit residents who claimed it fell within their county. Following a joint meeting with Sololo Sub-County officials on January 19, 2026, where Marsabit’s team was given 30 days for community sensitization but provided no feedback, Wajir authorities selected an alternative uncontested site at Malkatito, approximately 11 km from the Wajir-Marsabit border.
Funding for the project comes from the Eldas Constituency National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF). Murkomen stated that consultations were appropriately limited to Wajir leadership, as the site is within Wajir’s jurisdiction.
Addressing calls for immediate halt and withdrawal of personnel, the CS stressed there are no Wajir operations or personnel active in Moyale Constituency regarding this project. He acknowledged resistance at a public baraza on April 4, 2026, which he attributed partly to opposition from trafficking syndicates.
Murkomen recommended that the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) urgently resolve underlying boundary disputes between Wajir and Marsabit counties. In the meantime, the Ministry of Interior will continue peace initiatives alongside efforts to enhance security in the volatile region.
The statement aims to de-escalate tensions in an area prone to inter-communal friction, resource disputes, and cross-border illicit activities. Security analysts underline the importance of such facilities in curbing threats from neighboring Ethiopia, while urging all parties to prioritize dialogue over territorial claims that could undermine national security goals.
Local leaders in Marsabit maintain their position on the boundary, but Murkomen’s defense reinforces Wajir’s administrative claim based on voter records and official records.
