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).