Happy TravellerWelcome to Moyale, a unique town located on the border between Ethiopia and Kenya. This mainly Borona market town is the administrative center for two Ethiopian woredas, Moyale of Oromia Region and Moyale of Somali Region. Moyale is the main border post on the Nairobi-Addis Ababa road, lying north of the Dide Galgalu Desert. If you’re looking for a destination that offers a blend of culture, history, and natural beauty, Moyale is the perfect place to visit.
== History ==
Moyale has a rich history dating back to the early 1900s. An early settler at Moyale was a Greek by the name of Philip Zaphiro, who had a station which he had named Fort Harrington. During World War II, both parts of the town were captured by Italians from Ethiopia in 1940, and retaken by the British on 15 July 1941. Tensions rose in the Kenyan side of Moyale in early 1999, after an imam was shot dead during an Ethiopian raid across the Ethiopian-Kenyan border in pursuit of rebels of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). In March 2018, nine civilians were killed by the Ethiopian National Defense Force near Moyale after being misidentified as Oromo Liberation Front militants.
== Culture ==
Moyale is known for its traditional architecture, which is a blend of Oromo and Somali styles. The town is located at the frontier border between the traditional territories of Oromo peoples and Somalis living in the southwestern part of Ethiopia. Thus this business town is disputed between the two dominant ethnic groups who are Oromos and Somalis. Moyale saw four days of ethnic clashes in July 2012 over a long-standing land dispute between Borana and Garre communities, exacerbated by drought conditions. Despite the conflicts, the people of Moyale are friendly and welcoming to visitors, and you will find a vibrant and colorful culture in the town.
== Demographics ==
The population of Moyale is diverse, with the eight largest ethnic groups reported in Moyale being the Borana Oromo (50.25%), Garre Somali (30.30%), the Burji (9.75%), the Amhara (7.42%), the Degoodi Somali (4.95%), the Welayta (4.82%), and the Silte (4.28%). Oromo is spoken as a first language by 55.30%, second were 25.70% spoke by Somali, 15.96% spoke Burji, 3.96% spoke Welayta, and 3.62% spoke Silte. Moyale has a total population of 25,038 people, with the Ethiopian side having a total population of 13,962.
== One stop border crossing ==
In June 2021, the one-stop border post (OSBP) crossing at Moyale began commercial operations. Officials from both countries sit together in one office and clear passengers and cargo, through immigration, customs, revenue collection, and health clearance, saving time. This is the first OSBP for Ethiopia, while Kenya maintains four others at Busia and Malaba with Uganda and at Namanga and Taveta with Tanzania.
== Climate ==
Moyale has a hot semi-arid climate (Köppen BSh) moderated somewhat by altitude. Typically for East Africa, there are two rainy seasons: the
