Kenya is in talks with the Ethiopian government after around 40,000 Ethiopians fled violence and travelled to Moyale, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi said.

Mudavadi said he had spoken to the Ethiopian President and encouraged him to bring peace to the situation so the families who fled can return to their homes safely. He said the influx of people was due to conflict in certain areas of Ethiopia.

“The issue is that from the Ethiopian side, they have been having a little bit of tension over there. So, the problem has caused about 40,000 people to evacuate to Kenya,” he said. “I told him to try and calm the situation in their country so that the refugees return to their homes.”

The Ethiopian government had given Kenya assurances that they are trying to get things back to normal, however, there was no mention of a timeframe. The displacement was due to renewed conflict between the Oromia and Somali regional administrations in Ethiopia. The two groups have often had disputes regarding borders and administration.

The latest conflict started around October 22, 2026, in the area around Moyale on the Ethiopia side. Thousands of people have been forced to flee to Kenya due to the violence. Women and children make up a large amount of those displaced.

Mudavadi says there are around 40,000 displaced Ethiopians however, the Kenya Red Cross said on November 6 that there are now more than 50,000 people affected. This includes those who are staying with families and those in temporary shelters.

Earlier, Kenya’s Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja said there were around 10,000 displaced people staying in temporary shelters and public buildings around Moyale.

The increased numbers have put extra pressure on the local communities who have limited resources. Food, clean water, emergency accommodation, sanitation and medical care are some of the main issues that have been highlighted by humanitarians.

Kenya Red Cross officials have also asked for help to get to the families who are taking in displaced people. Many families are struggling to look after their own families whilst also looking after displaced people.

There are security concerns in Moyale due to the displacement. Bullets from the fighting have landed on Kenyan soil. Inspector General Kanja said during a security assessment visit on November 5 that they will be increasing police and security in the area to keep the people safe.

“Securing Kenyans living along the border is our top priority. We are also keen on safely evacuating several truck drivers and other Kenyans stuck on the Ethiopian side,” Kanja said.

He also confirmed that the government are in talks with the Ethiopian government to try and resolve the conflict.

The fighting has disrupted trade across the border. Some Kenyan truck drivers are stuck on the Moyale to Addis Ababa highway. Local communities have also been affected with their businesses and electricity disrupted.

Kenya are in talks to ensure the displaced Ethiopians can return home safely. However, any organised return would only happen once the area is safe and they can guarantee the families can return safely.

At the moment thousands of people are relying on temporary accommodation, humanitarians and families in Moyale. The Kenyan government have confirmed they are working with the Ethiopian government and humanitarians to ensure the situation is handled and the communities on their side are kept safe.