Rhamu


Rhamu is a town in the Mandera County of Kenya. It sits across the Dawa River from the town of Sathe, in Ethiopia, at the international border between the two countries.

Location

Rhamu is located in extreme northeastern Kenya, at the border with Ethiopia, approximately, by road, west of Mandera, where the headquarters of the county are located. This lies approximately, by road, northeast of Nairobi, the capital and largest city in the country. The coordinates of the town are:3°56'15.0"N, 41°13'13.0"E.

Overview

In 1977, the town was the location of what became known as the Rhamu Incident. More recently, in 2014, ethnic conflict erupted between the Degodia and Garre, with some of the combatants coming from neighboring Ethiopia, across the Dawa River. At least twenty people died in that conflict, with an estimated 13,000 internally displaced from their homes.
The Elwak–Mandera Road passes through the middle of town. Rhamu is serviced by Rhamu Airport.

Population

In September 2014, the Kenya Red Cross estimated the population of the Rhamu at about 40,000.