Prime CS Mudavadi urges donors to support Kenya’s refugee program
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has
urged the donor community to meet their end of the bargain in supporting
thousands of refugees being hosted by Kenya citing lack of funds as a major
inhibitor to improving their livelihoods.
Speaking in Geneva at an event aimed at
marking the World Refugee Day, Mudavadi outlined delays in the implementation
of the Shirika plan that seeks to transform refugee camps into integrated
settlements where the necessary social amenities will be constructed.
“Refugee camps like Kakuma and Dadaab grapple
with significant environmental challenges due to high population density,
limited resources, and inadequate infrastructure,” said the Prime CS.
“These complex issues underscore the need for
comprehensive and strategic responses to ensure the well-being of both refugees
and host communities.”
While urging the developed nations to expand
their scope and increase options for resettlement, he underscored steps Kenya
had taken to aid the refugees live a decent life for instance in Kakuma and
Daadab.
This includes promotion of the respective to
municipality status in order to improve infrastructure and allow the refugees
access government services.
“The government is set to develop and
maintain refugee database for planning purposes to further socio-economic
inclusion, participation and contribution by the refugees,” Mudavadi said.
During a special high-level dialogue on the
transitioning of refugee camps in the country into integrated settlements
jointly hosted by the Kenyan government and UNHCR, Mudavadi broke down Kenya’s
Shirika plan that seeks to facilitate the inclusion of refugees in the country’s
database and uplift their livelihoods.
“The Shirika plan involves a wide range of
sectors, including education, water, sanitation and hygiene, health and
nutrition, livelihoods, self-reliance, social protection, environmental
management and energy, agriculture, housing, land and property, and other
durable solutions. All these are underpinned by a robust legal framework for
the benefit of refugees,” he noted.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary disclosed that Kenya's
efforts were being hampered by inadequate funding making it difficult to
respond to refugee problems, the frustration posing risks to national security
and refugee protection efforts.
Kenya has consistently played host to
refugees from the neighboring countries.
By end of August, Kenya hosted 644,011
refugees and asylum-seekers; of these, 83 per cent being refugees, and 17 per
cent asylum-seekers.
Dadaab complex currently houses 364,401
people, spread across 74,747 households.
Among these, 274,274 people are officially
registered and verified, with 94,192 individuals profiled and awaiting registration
under the jurisdiction of the Department of Refugee Services (DRS).
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