Deputy County Commissioner Orders KCSE Candidates Relocation After Grenades Hit Moyale Schools

The Kenya Defence Forces safely detonated three rocket-propelled grenades that landed in Moyale, Marsabit County after being fired from Ethiopia, prompting the relocation of Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) candidates from two schools.

The explosives were discovered on Sunday November 1, 2026 after a report of unexploded material near Sessi Primary School; police said one RPG was found at the primary school and the other two landed at the Meteorological Department offices.

Deputy County Commissioner Benedict Munywoki said the relocation of candidates from Sessi Mixed Secondary School and St Mary’s Mixed Secondary School was necessary after stray bullets from Ethiopia struck Sessi school, raising safety concerns for learners.

Resident Ali Haro, a Sessi resident, told reporters that a bomb fired from Ethiopia exploded at around 8:30 pm, leaving families frightened and children unable to sleep.

No injuries were reported during the bomb-disposal operation and police said the situation remained calm, while residents were urged to remain alert and report any suspicious objects.

The KCSE examination papers distribution, which began on Monday November 2, 2026, was briefly disrupted by the stray-bullet incident, but candidates were later moved to safer locations and examinations are expected to continue as scheduled, with the exam period set to end by November 20.

The Ministry of Education had not issued a statement on the disruption at the time of publication.

The incident follows a second security scare in the area since fighting erupted in neighbouring Ethiopia, where two weeks earlier at least three people were injured after bullets struck structures.

The border conflict, which began after the alleged raising of the Somali Regional State flag in Ethiopia, has driven more than 50,000 Ethiopians to cross into Kenya through Moyale since October 22, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

UNHCR warned that the influx is creating growing humanitarian needs, with women and children comprising a large proportion of arrivals and food, clean water, shelter, sanitation and health services being the most urgent requirements.

The Kenya National Commission of Human Rights (KNCHR) said on October 27 that the surge in arrivals is placing significant pressure on host communities and available resources, particularly food, clean water, shelter, sanitation and healthcare.

Humanitarian response in Moyale is being coordinated by UNHCR with the Department of Refugee Services and county authorities, and supported by the International Organisation for Migration, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, the Kenya Red Cross Society and other agencies.