… But with the country deeply divided between rival clans, and much of it under the control of Al-Shabaab, an Islamist insurgent group, there has been little progress on organising elections beyond a few localised pockets. …
Somalia declares 'transition period' as presidential mandate ends without dealKenya Minute.
Saturday, 16 May 2026
Kenya’s news, on the hour · Est. 2026
Saturday, 16 May 2026
Nairobi—:—London—:—New York—:—Beijing—:—
Kenyan press · Organization
Al-Shabaab
Militant group responsible for terrorism-related attacks including 72 incidents along Kenya-Somalia border in 2025.
In coverage
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
- May 2026
… In February 2026, President William Ruto announced the reopening of the border that had been closed following multiple attacks by al-Shabaab militants. …
President Ruto: Why we have not re-opened Kenya-Somalia border… In February, Ruto had announced that the Kenya-Somalia border would reopen in April, ending a closure that has been in place since 2011 due to security concerns linked to Al-Shabaab. …
Ruto blames Somalia instability for failed border reopening… The Kenya–Somalia border has been partially closed since 2011 due to security threats linked to Al-Shabaab insurgents.Although the government had announced plans for phased reopening in 2024 and 2026, renewed insecurity has stalled implementation, with only limited trade exemptio …
Somalia border still closed, Ruto says… And in light of the terror attacks on Kenya between 2014 and 2016 by Somalia-based Al-Shabaab terrorists, these fears are justified. …
Open border, but not at the cost of Kenyan lives… Although security concerns remain a major challenge due to the threat posed by Al-Shabaab militants, the peaceful conduct of the latest polls was widely praised by observers and community leaders. …
Somalia’s democratic push gains momentum as thousands vote… Efforts to establish stable governance have often been complicated by clan rivalries, political disputes, and the persistent threat posed by Al-Shabaab insurgents. …
Somalia’s protests overshadowed by historic polls… Armed group Al-Shabaab and other actors continue to operate across large parts of the country, compounding risks for reporters in conflict-affected areas. …
World Press Freedom Day: Journalists face killings, arrests in Somalia… The meeting comes as countries in the region face persistent attacks by Al-Shabaab, which has carried out cross-border operations in Kenya and Uganda in recent years. …
Letter from Mogadishu: Scramble for the traditional elder's attention- April 2026
NAIROBI, Kenya Apr 27 – A Somali national has been sentenced to multiple jail terms after a Kenyan court found him guilty of terrorism-related offences linked to Al-Shabaab. …
Court Hands 60 year Sentence to suspect in Al-Shabaab-Linked Case
World & Region
Somalia enters transition period as presidential term ends
The News
Somalia's government declared the country in a "transition period" after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term ended Friday without an agreement with the opposition on holding elections. Talks between government and opposition, facilitated by British and U.S. diplomats, failed to reach a compromise.
16 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Friday 15 May
Somalia enters transition period as presidential term ends
Somalia's government declared the country in a "transition period" after President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term ended Friday without an agreement with the opposition on holding elections. Talks between government and opposition, facilitated by British and U.S. diplomats, failed to reach a compromise.
16 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Wednesday 13 May
Ruto cites Somalia conflict for delayed Kenya-Somalia border reopening
President William Ruto said the Kenya-Somalia border, closed since 2011 and announced for reopening in February 2026, cannot yet reopen due to escalating war between Somalia's National Army and Jubaland forces at the border.
14 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Tuesday 12 May
Ruto attributes Kenya-Somalia border closure to conflict, instability
President Ruto blamed renewed conflict and political instability in Somalia for delaying the Kenya-Somalia border reopening, citing clashes between Somalia's Federal Government and regional forces near the border, fighting between the Somali National Army and Jubaland forces that worsened security, and ongoing uncertainty over Somalia's political transition.
13 May 2026 · Capital News →
Ruto defends Kenya-Somalia border closure amid Somali instability
President William Ruto said Kenya is maintaining the Kenya–Somalia border closure due to renewed fighting between Somalia's Federal Government and regional forces, along with political uncertainty including the expiry of constitutional timelines for the presidency and parliament. Ruto noted that Kenya had been progressing toward reopening the border before fresh clashes erupted and that Kenya assisted the Somali National Army to reduce conflict near the frontier.
13 May 2026 · The Standard →
Monday 11 May
Editorial: Kenya-Somalia border reopening risks despite trade benefits
An opinion piece cautions against reopening the Kenya-Somalia border after years of closure due to insecurity, citing 72 terror-related attacks in 2025 along the border counties that killed 50 people, despite the border being closed. The author acknowledges President William Ruto's planned formal reopening announcement during Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir on June 1, 2026, citing trade benefits, but argues that security concerns must be weighed against economic gains.
12 May 2026 · The Standard →
Saturday 9 May
Somalia holds historic one-person-one-vote elections in 18 districts
Somalia's democratic transition advanced as thousands of citizens voted in one-person-one-vote elections across 18 districts outside Mogadishu, marking among the most ambitious democratic exercises in decades. The elections represent a shift from the nation's traditional indirect voting system dominated by clan delegates, as recent federal government reforms aim to establish universal suffrage and expand political participation.
10 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Somalia conducts historic one-vote elections amid low-key protests
Somalia's democratic transition gained momentum after South-West State conducted historic one-man one-vote elections, described as a landmark moment for the country emerging from conflict. Low-key opposition protests in Mogadishu saw only small numbers of demonstrators despite earlier fears of major unrest, while security forces maintained a visible presence across key roads.
10 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Saturday 2 May
Somali journalists face killings and arrests amid press freedom crisis
Journalists in Somalia continue to face killings, arbitrary arrests, and intimidation by security forces, with rights groups warning conditions will worsen as elections approach. The Somali Journalists Syndicate has recorded at least 18 violations against journalists since January 2026, including arbitrary arrests, threats, torture, and equipment confiscation.
3 May 2026 · The Standard →
Friday 1 May
President Mohamud woos clan elders ahead of mandate end
With two weeks before his four-year mandate expires, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is courting Somalia's traditional clan leaders to support universal suffrage and abandon the indirect clan-based electoral system in place since 2004. Opposition factions and two Federal Member States oppose the shift, citing security concerns and questioning the legality of the president's tenure.
2 May 2026 · The Standard →
Sunday 26 April
Court sentences Somali national to 60 years in Al-Shabaab case
A Kahawa Magistrates' Court in Kenya convicted Somali national Abdikarim Hassanow Hassan of terrorism-related offences linked to Al-Shabaab, including membership, organizing meetings in support of the group, radicalisation, recruiting, and financing travel. He was handed multiple 10-year prison sentences to run concurrently for recruiting and radicalising a minor with promises of financial gain and military training, and facilitating the minor's attempted journey to Somalia.
27 April 2026 · Capital News →