Kenya's Refugee Policy: Dadaab, Kakuma, and the Shift Toward Integration

Kenya hosts over 840,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, making it one of the largest refugee-hosting countries in Africa. With 48.7 per cent residing in the Dadaab Refugee Complex, 37.2 per cent in Kakuma Camp and Kalobeyei Settlement, and 14.2 per cent in urban areas, Kenya's approach to refugee management is undergoing a historic transformation — from a camp-based encampment model toward local integration through the landmark Refugee Act 2021 and the Shirika Plan.

Kenya's Refugee Camps: Dadaab and Kakuma

The Dadaab Refugee Complex in Garissa County, established in 1991, is one of the world's oldest and largest refugee settlements. As of May 2025, Dadaab housed 432,380 individuals, predominantly Somali refugees who fled civil war and drought. The complex consists of three camps — Hagadera, Ifo, and Dagahaley — and has functioned as a de facto city with schools, hospitals, markets, and community organisations.

The Kakuma Refugee Camp in Turkana County, established in 1992, hosted 306,414 registered refugees as of May 2025, including 224,335 in the original Kakuma Camp, 79,685 in the adjacent Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement, and 2,394 in Eldoret. Kakuma's population is more diverse than Dadaab, hosting refugees from South Sudan, Somalia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Ethiopia, and other countries.

The Kalobeyei Integrated Settlement, established in 2016 as a pilot for Kenya's integration approach, was designed to promote self-reliance and coexistence between refugees and host communities. Unlike traditional camp settings, Kalobeyei allocates plots for agriculture, encourages market-based livelihoods, and integrates service delivery for both refugees and Turkana residents.

The Refugee Act 2021: A Policy Shift

Kenya's Refugee Act 2021 marked a significant departure from the encampment-focused approach of the previous 2006 Act. The new law moves toward local integration, granting refugees circumscribed freedom of movement and the right to work and own property. It established the Department of Refugee Services under the Ministry of Interior as the primary government agency responsible for refugee affairs, replacing the previous arrangement where UNHCR bore most operational responsibility.

Key provisions of the Act include formal recognition of refugees' right to work, access education, and own property; establishment of a refugee status determination process managed by Kenyan officials rather than UNHCR; integration of refugee services into county development planning; and provisions for voluntary repatriation, local integration, and resettlement to third countries.

However, implementation faces significant challenges. Refugees still require multiple government documents including refugee IDs, UNHCR certificates, and movement passes, and acquiring these remains complicated, time-consuming, and costly. Bureaucratic delays in issuing work permits and business licences hinder refugees' ability to exercise their rights under the new law.

The Shirika Plan: Integration Framework

The Shirika Plan (meaning "partnership" in Kiswahili) is Kenya's pioneering multi-year strategy aimed at fostering socio-economic inclusion and shared benefits for both refugees and host communities. Launched with strong support from UNHCR, the plan envisions transforming refugee camps from aid-dependent settlements into socio-economic hubs that benefit surrounding counties.

The Garissa Integrated Socio-Economic Development Programme (GISEDP), launched in September 2023, forms an integral part of the Shirika Plan and targets the Dadaab area. Similar integrated development approaches are being pursued in Turkana County around the Kakuma-Kalobeyei area. The plan was developed using a multi-stakeholder consultative approach involving refugees, host communities, county governments, line ministries, humanitarian agencies, international financial institutions, donors, and civil society.

However, the Shirika Plan faces scepticism from some host communities and local politicians in Turkana and Garissa counties, who worry it will be a net drain on local resources and exacerbate tensions over already scarce water, grazing land, and employment opportunities. Balancing refugee integration with host community concerns remains one of the plan's central challenges.

Urban Refugees

Approximately 114,280 refugees and asylum seekers reside in Nairobi and other urban areas, seeking better economic opportunities than those available in camps. Urban refugees face unique challenges including high living costs, discrimination in the job market, difficulty accessing government services, and limited access to UNHCR assistance. Many work in the informal economy as small traders, tailors, restaurant operators, and in other service roles.

Refugee-led organisations (RLOs) play a crucial role in helping urban refugees navigate Kenyan systems, providing community support through associations, coalitions, faith-based initiatives, and self-help groups run by refugees themselves. The Eastleigh neighbourhood in Nairobi, sometimes called "Little Mogadishu," is a vibrant commercial hub largely built by Somali refugees and Kenyan Somalis.

Challenges and the Future

Kenya's refugee situation remains complex. Security concerns, particularly related to the Al-Shabaab threat from Somalia, have periodically led to calls for camp closures and crackdowns on urban refugees. The government announced plans to close Dadaab in 2016, though this was reversed by court order and subsequent policy shifts. Environmental pressures in host areas — including deforestation, water depletion, and land degradation around camps — create friction between refugee and host populations.

Looking ahead, the success of Kenya's integration model will depend on adequate international funding to support both refugee and host community development, effective implementation of the Refugee Act 2021, political will at county and national levels, and refugees' meaningful participation in decisions affecting their lives. If successfully implemented, Kenya's approach could serve as a model for refugee-hosting countries across Africa and beyond, demonstrating that refugees can contribute to — rather than burden — their host communities and national economies.