,
Nairobi As
Eastern Cushites, Somalis trace their origins to ancient Cushitic populations that emerged in the Horn of Africa thousands of years ago. Archaeological and linguistic evidence suggests Cushitic groups, which included
proto-Somali populations were present in the regions of
Azania and
Barbaria by the 1st millennium BCE, engaging in
pastoralism and trade. Caravans from the interior loaded with exotic animal skins and ivory were brought to the
ancient Somali city-states, and subsequently exported to Mediterranean and Asian markets. By the early 10th century CE, Somalis began to expand across the Horn, driven by
proselytism, exploration and trade networks along the
Indian Ocean coast. Their presence in northern Kenya, particularly in areas like Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa, likely solidified during this period as they moved southward from the
Somali peninsula. These areas were part of their traditional grazing lands, with no fixed borders at the time. During the pre-colonial period, prior to the 19th century,
Somali clans such as the
Darod,
Hawiye, and
Garre, established themselves in the North Eastern Province of modern Kenya, coexisting with other Cushitic groups like the
Borana and
Rendille. They maintained a pastoralist lifestyle, herding camels, cattle, and goats, and were also deeply integrated into regional trade networks, including with the cities on the
Swahili coast. For centuries
Mogadishu and
Zanzibar were trading considerably. Described as a maritime people with pastoral habits, they also occupied a separate quarter in
Mombasa. As such, they have historically inhabited the
North Eastern Province, formerly known as the Northern Frontier District (NFD) which also included the present day Borana and
Gabra inhabited
Marsabit and
Isiolo counties. During colonialism, the NFD region covered the northern parts of
East Africa Protectorate later succeeded by
British Kenya. It also included half of the Jubaland province that remained part of Kenya when the other half was ceded to the
Italian Empire as
Oltre Giuba. Whilst being under British colonial administration, the northern half of Jubaland was ceded to
Italy as a reward for the Italians' support of the Allies during
World War I. Britain retained control of the southern half of the territory. , a Kenyan ethnic Somali, previously served as majority leader in the
National Assembly and current Minister of Defence of Kenya On 26 June 1960, four days before granting
Somalia independence, the British government declared that all Somali-inhabited areas of East Africa be unified as one administrative region. However, after the dissolution of the former British colonies in the region, Britain eventually granted administration of the Northern Frontier District to Kenyan nationalists. This was despite a 1962 commission report showing 86% of the Somalis in Kenya favouring secession and joining the newly formed
Somali Republic as they made up the majority in the North Eastern section. Nonetheless, the Somali residents had by then successfully lobbied for a separate classification from the adjacent
Bantu and
Nilotic populations. In the 1962 British Kenya census, the populous Somalis were accorded their own "Somali" entry separate from the "African", "Arab", "Asian" and "European" designations. store owner On the eve of Kenya's independence in August 1963, British officials belatedly realized that the new Kenyan regime was not willing to give up the Somali-inhabited areas it had just been granted administration of. Led by the Northern Province People's Progressive Party (NPPPP), Somalis in the NFD vigorously sought union with their kin in the Somali Republic to the north. In response, the
Kenyan government enacted a number of repressive measures designed to frustrate their efforts in what came to be known as the
Shifta War. Many Somalis advocated for a
Greater Somalia. Proponents of Pan-Somali nationalism sought to incorporate all Somalis living in
British Somaliland,
Italian Somaliland,
French Somaliland, and contiguous territories in Ethiopia and Kenya into a single territorial nation-state. Although the conflict ended in a cease-fire, Somalis in the region still identify and maintain close ties with their brethren over in
Somalia. Since they have traditionally practiced
endogamy and marry only within their community, the Somalis in Kenya have formed a cohesive ethnic network. Following the
civil war in Somalia that broke out in 1991, many Somalis sought asylum in the Somali-inhabited regions of northeastern Kenya. An entrepreneurial community, they established themselves in the business sector, investing over $1.5 billion in
Eastleigh alone. Starting in late 2012, a mass exodus of Somali residents was reported after a prolonged period of harassment by the
Kenyan police and public. Hundreds of Somali entrepreneurs withdrew between Sh10 to Sh40 billion from their bank accounts, with the intention of reinvesting most of that money back home in Somalia. The collective departures most affected Eastleigh's real estate sector, as landlords struggled to find Kenyans able to afford the high rates of the apartments and shops vacated by the Somalis. ==See also==