The National Intelligence Service has raised concern over the escalation of the Israel-Palestine conflict into Yemen, alongside Houthi rebel attacks.
The agency says this has increased security threats against Kenya.
NIS director general Noordin Haji on Thursday said the conflicts have heightened security risks for shipping routes through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal—one of Kenya’s primary trade corridors.
“These disruptions, coupled with political instability in neighbouring countries like Sudan, a key market for Kenyan tea exports, has directly impacted export earnings and market access for critical commodities such as coffee, tea and horticultural products, straining the economy and trade resilience,” Haji said during the inaugural public lecture at the National Intelligence and Research University.
He said the Middle East instability—driven by the Israel-Palestine war, shifts in Syria’s governance and general fragility in state structures—has created a vacuum where terrorist elements thrive.
Haji said terror groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda continue to expand their reach, leveraging chaos to entrench their operations.
“As part of this expansion, ISIS and Al-Shabaab have been collaborating with the Houthis, gaining access to advanced weaponry and sophisticated training. The spillover effects are now being felt in Africa, making the continent an emerging epicentre of terrorism,” the NIS boss said.
Closer to home, the spy chief said Ethiopia’s instability—particularly in the Amhara region—has created new openings for ISIS expansion, bringing the threat dangerously close to Kenya’s borders.
“The increasing frequency of Al-Shabaab attacks in Somalia poses a direct threat to Kenya’s security environment, as the group escalates its activities within our borders. This threat is further compounded by al Shabaab’s financial strength, with the group generating over $100 million (Sh12.9 billion) annually through illicit financial networks and unregulated cryptocurrency transactions,” he said.
“This reality demands urgent action within our financial and digital regulatory landscape, as these funds enable al Shabaab to recruit.”
Haji said economic threats to the country have been exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war, which disrupted the supply of essential commodities such as grains, fertilisers and fuel.
“This disruption was further exacerbated by instability in Israel and Palestine, affecting global trade flows and increasing commodity prices,” he said.
