Border with Somalia closed

President Daniel arap Moi on Sunday announced the closure of the Kenya-Somali border with "immediate effect". Humanitarian sources told IRIN on Monday it had little impact on Somalis so far but could create problems if the need for asylum arose again. Moi said the closure of the border extended to the Somali port of Kismayo to "curb smuggling of contraband goods into the country" and check "criminal activities", especially the "proliferation of illegal firearms" from Somalia to Kenya, Kenyan radio reported. The Kenyan president said he had awaited the formation of a factional government in Somalia in vain, and asked factional leaders in that country to "seek his counsel on the matter" so that a solution could be found for the "suffering people of Somalia." UNHCR in Nairobi said there was no "direct impact" of the closure because there have not been an influx of refugees since 11 June, when there was a change of administration in Kismayo. "We would like to be sure that refugees have access to asylum at any given time when such a need arises. At this point, the closure of the border could create such difficulties," a UNHCR official told IRIN.