462 Chapter 4
MID#1378
Dispute Number: 1378
Date(s): February 1967 to October 28, 1967
Participants: 520 Somalia/501 Kenya, 530 Ethiopia
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: 26–100 deaths
Narrative: Kenya’s government was attempting to put down a rebellion of ethnic
Somalis living in Kenya who were fighting for the secession of the northeastern area
of Kenya where many ethnic Somalis lived. The Somali Republic and the Somali
rebels (also called Shiftas) had been problematic for the Kenyan government since its
own independence in 1963 as the Somalis were upset that traditional nomadic graz-
ing areas had been put under Kenya’s control. The Shiftas and the Somali Republic
wanted to see a union of Somalis with control of the northern area of Kenya. They also
wished to control the Ogaden Region held by Ethiopia, who were also dealing with
Somali rebel activity. Ethiopia and Kenya responded by forming a defensive pact with
Kenya to counter what it termed as Somali aggression.
In an attempt to settle the nomadic Somalis and contain the rebel activity, the
Kenyan government forced the nomadic tribes to live in government villages where
they were provided schools, health care, wells, and grazing lands. Despite the reforms,
Shifta rebels continued to conduct raids and clash with Kenyan forces. The Kenyan
government then warned the Somali Republic to stop supplying the rebels with arms
or face war. The last clash between Kenya and the Somali-backed rebels was reported
in August 1967, and the leaders of Kenya and Somalia signed a truce agreement in
late October 1967, promising to try to end the fighting that had been taking place for
almost four years.
Although some fighting still took place between Somali nomads and Kenyan forces
over grazing boundaries, these small incidents were not encouraged or backed by the
Somali government.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from March 1, 1967. End Date changed from
August 18, 1967. Outcome changed from Unclear. Settlement changed from None.
MID#3129
Dispute Number: 3129
Date(s): June 23, 1977 to June 27, 1977
Participants: 520 Somalia/501 Kenya
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: 1–25 deaths
Narrative: Kenya charged that Somalia had violated its borders three times in June
- The Kenyan foreign minister reported that there had been six Kenyans that died
due to the incursions and that the 13,000 Somali troops that crossed the border were to
blame. Somalia refuted this claim, and Western diplomats doubted the alleged figures.
Somali forces were thought to have crossed through Kenya in order to get to Ethiopia.
Coding changes: End Date changed from June 26, 1977. Fatalities changed from
Missing.