UN seeking land to accommodate growing refugee population
A multi-sectoral meeting was recently held in Lodwar following a formal request by the UNHCR to the county government for land to expand the Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking additional land to accommodate the rising number of refugees at Kakuma in Turkana County.
A multi-sectoral meeting was recently held in Lodwar following a formal request by the UNHCR to the county government for land to expand the Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement.
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According to the UNHCR, the expansion is necessitated by an increasing influx of refugees, with up to 250 new arrivals being recorded daily.
The meeting, attended by representatives from the Department of Refugee Affairs, the National Land Commission, the UNHCR, and the Turkana County Department of Lands, focused on finding possible solutions to address the UNHCR’s request.
Multi-sectoral team who gathered at Lodwar town to deliberate on the UNHCR request for more land to accommodate the increasing number of refugees. (Issa Hussein)
Faith Aletia, Turkana County’s Executive Committee Member for Lands, stated that the county government would only consider the UNHCR proposal after obtaining consent from the local community.
She emphasised the county government’s commitment to safeguarding community interests, given its role as the trustee of public land.
“We must conduct a transparent process to agree on the UNHCR request. We are committed to ensuring land assessment, negotiations with local leaders, civil society representatives, and the community at large,” Aletia said.
The County Executive reiterated that any decision regarding the request would involve community participation and adherence to due process.
Kakuma Refugee Camp, established in 1992, is one of the largest refugee camps globally, hosting refugees from South Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Initially designed to accommodate 90,000 refugees, the camp now hosts a significantly larger population.
The UNHCR Kenya operational update as of September 2024 reported that Kakuma Refugee Camp and Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement currently house 295,617 refugees.
The rising refugee population highlights the urgent need for expanded facilities, but the county government insists on prioritising community approval before any further action is taken.
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