Kenya changes tune on refugees, as two camps in Dadaab are re-opened.
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Staff reporter GAROWE ONLINE
- Posted On 13-01-2023, 12:53PM
NAIROBI - Kenyan President William Ruto’s administration has bowed to pressure from various human rights organizations, as they re-open two refugee camps in Garissa county.
These two refugee camps Ifo II in Daadab ward and Kambioos in Jarajilla ward in Fafi is meant to cater to the high number of refugees arriving from the war-torn country of Somalia.
Interior Cabinet secretary Kithure Kindiki in a gazette notice issued the re-opening of the camps. "In exercise of the powers conferred by section 28 (2) of the Refugees Act, 2021, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration designates the areas specified in the Schedule as Refugee Camps," a Gazette notice read.
The news of the reopening of these two camps was welcomed by the majority of residents who staged celebrations when news of the reopening of the camps came out.
The two camps were established in 2011 to cater to an influx of refugees from the horn of Africa. However, they were closed in 2019 following the reduction of the number of refugees over the voluntary return program.
UNHCR data as of 2022 shows that some 24,000 people had arrived in the Dadaab refugee camps from Somalia.
The arrival caused inadequacy of space in the camps, forcing the refugees to reside in makeshift shelters.
Last year Interior Cabinet secretary Kithure Kindiki held talks with the International Organisation for Migration delegation as part of plans to reopen the camps.
The talks were aimed at enhancing the partnership in securing the safe movement of persons between Kenya and Somalia.
Most of the Somali refugees reside in Hagadera, Dagahaley, and Ifo which they have called home for over decades.
In 2019 when the two camps were closed by the Kenyan government despite criticism from rights groups.
The government of Kenya however cited insecurity concerns as the main reason as to why the two were closed.
Dadaab refugee camp currently holds hosts more than 200,000 refugees, the majority of them are Somalis who fled their country's conflicts and recurring drought.
Kambioos is the newest of the five Dadaab camps. It was established in August 2011 and officially recognized by the Kenyan government in January 2013.
The camp was originally planned for a population of 100,000 and can help reduce the population pressure in other camps.
Relocation of people from the overcrowded outskirts of Hagadera has started and Kambioos has been receiving urban refugees from Nairobi.
Ifo II is also one of the newest refugee camps in Dadaab, opened in July 2011, to decongest Ifo and Dagahaley camps.
At the moment, Ifo II is divided into two sub-camps, Ifo II East and Ifo II West, and demarcated into 18 sections comprising four to nine blocks each.
GAROWE ONLINE
