A delegation of Borana elders has met Oromia Regional State President Shimallis Abdisa to raise concerns over contested border areas in Moyale, amid growing unease about alleged encroachments by the neighboring Somali Regional State.
According to reports by the Oromia Media Network (OMN), the elders had camped at the President’s Office in Addis Ababa for more than a week awaiting an audience.
Sources indicate that they had considered returning to Moyale without being heard, but were later informed that an appointment had been granted.
During the eventual meeting, the Borana elders are said to have outlined grievances linked to shifting administrative boundaries and disputes around Moyale, a town that straddles the Oromia and Somali regional frontier.
President Shimallis reportedly assured the delegation that the concerns would be addressed through dialogue and consultation, though official details of the discussions remain limited.
The Oromia Regional Government has not yet issued a formal statement on the meeting, and independent verification of the elders’ accounts is still lacking.
The Moyale border issue has long been a flashpoint in Ethiopia’s inter-regional tensions. The town, which lies on the frontier with Kenya, is administratively split between Oromia and Somali regional states.
Rival claims over boundary demarcations, grazing rights, and political representation have fueled periodic clashes between Borana communities aligned with Oromia and Somali groups aligned with the Somali region.
In recent years, allegations of encroachment and shifting administrative boundaries have heightened tensions, displacing families and straining relations between communities.
Elders and traditional leaders, such as the Borana delegation, have often sought dialogue with regional authorities in an effort to prevent the disputes from escalating into open conflict.
The latest meeting with President Shimallis is seen as part of ongoing efforts to secure clarity and stability along the contested border, though its outcomes remain uncertain.