One person has reportedly died and two police officers injured following violent protests at Kakuma refugee camp, one of Kenya’s largest, amid rising tensions over aid cuts and changes to food rationing systems.
The camp, located in Turkana County in northern Kenya, houses approximately 300,000 refugees from neighboring countries including South Sudan, Somalia, Uganda, and Burundi. It has been under mounting strain after international donors, notably the United States, drastically cut funding for humanitarian assistance, including through USAID.
According to a source from the Department of Refugee Services (DRS), tensions boiled over Monday when refugees clashed with police officers, leading to the burning of a World Food Programme (WFP) storage facility in the Kalobeyei Settlement. “One person is dead, two police officers are injured,” the source told AFP, adding that frustrations have grown over an increasingly strained aid system.
While AFP has seen images showing injured individuals, including a man with a head wound and an injured child, the images and the reported fatality have yet to be independently verified. Police spokesperson Michael Muchiri acknowledged disturbances at the camp but said no death had been officially reported.
Witnesses reported that around 100 people gathered to protest changes in aid distribution and fears surrounding the government’s plans to turn the camp into a permanent settlement. Refugees are concerned this could result in the loss of benefits and long-standing support structures.
John Thomas Muyumba, a local youth leader, said the new WFP system prioritizes only the most vulnerable for assistance. “Many refugees felt discriminated against. They’re asking, ‘Aren’t we all refugees?’” he said.
The protest, initially peaceful, escalated when stones were thrown and police responded with live fire. “One store was set on fire, and the police intervened,” Muyumba added.
The WFP confirmed the fire at its facility and stated that investigations are underway.
This unrest highlights the precarious situation in refugee camps like Kakuma, where dwindling international support and policy changes are deepening already dire humanitarian conditions.
