Mara-Suswa Rebel Army

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MSRA Insignia

The Mara-Suswa Rebel Army (MSRA) is an aggregate of multiple rebel groups and militias in central Amari, west of Nairobi. The group is allegedly responsible for widespread violence and harassment throughout the region. They have also conducted attacks against tourists and villages in Kujenga and Ziwa.

Main factions include the Suswa Freemen, the Mau Narok Militia, and the notorious Watasi Gang. These groups are known for brutality and are comprised of young men between 16 and 24. Individual groups often fight each other for dominance and control of lucrative smuggling routes. Territorial fighting between rival factions has made travel in remote rural areas almost impossible - particularly at night, where sustained gunfire is a nightly occurrence.

The MSRA has taken responsibility for attacks on tourists and traffic along secondary roads. There have been clashes reported between this group and armed herdsmen, spilling over to a number of villages in the area.

When they groups actually conduct combined operations as the MSRA, it is usually to push back against what they collectively view as encroachment by government forces. As the group fights for control of what it views as its territory, the possibility for sectarian violence in the region will remain high. Indiscriminate violence and looting has occurred in the region since peacekeepers withdrew in early 2015.

MSRA Area of Operations, 2025

There have been rumors of collusion between the MSRA and possibly Kujengan Special Forces, but these have not been substantiated.

In November 2016, the United States added MSRA leaders in Amari to its sanctions list, accusing them of playing significant roles in their country's previous unrest. The US sanctions bar American individuals or companies from doing any transactions with those on the list. Those sanctioned also have any US assets frozen.