Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) occupys Kenyan territory

By Daisy Okiring

In a rare and candid statement, National Intelligence Service (NIS) Director-General Noordin Haji has publicly confirmed that the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), a rebel group based in Ethiopia, is occupying parts of Kenyan territory—directly contradicting previous government claims that downplayed the group’s presence as limited or temporary.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations on Monday, May 12, Haji described the situation as a serious breach of national sovereignty.

“In Ethiopia, the Oromo Liberation Army is occupying our territory—and we are forced to deal with them,” he told lawmakers, adding that the threat is no longer limited to infiltration but sustained territorial control.

This marks a dramatic shift from earlier official positions and comes in the wake of escalating violence in Moyale, where Kenyan security forces have been involved in gun battles with suspected OLA fighters. The group’s actions have included kidnappings, assassinations, and cross-border raids.

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Haji also warned that Kenya faces simultaneous threats along its borders with Uganda and South Sudan, noting the rise in militia activity and small arms trafficking. He cited the Karamojong from Uganda and armed groups from South Sudan as active participants in cross-border crime. Tanzania was notably absent from his assessment.

“Kenya is facing threats from all corners,” Haji said, underscoring the urgent need to strengthen border security.

The government has responded by launching Operation Ondoa Jangili, a multi-agency counterinsurgency operation targeting OLA-linked activities in Isiolo and Marsabit counties. The mission also aims to dismantle arms smuggling and militia networks entrenched in Kenya’s northern frontier.

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OLA, which operates from Ethiopia’s Oromia region, has been designated by Addis Ababa as a destabilising force. Although the group denies having an operational presence in Kenya, Haji’s testimony confirms what many security analysts and residents have long suspected—that Kenyan territory is under partial occupation by a foreign militant group.