Saturday, September 11, 2010
'Kenya has continued to host many refugees from trouble spots such as the Great Lakes Region, the Sudan and currently Somalia. We need to review the conditions of these camps including security implication of hosting t hese people,' Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka said.
He expressed the hope that when all the necessary processes were concluded for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) and the government, a more compre hensive and efficient method of admitting refugees into the country would be agreed upon and adopted.
The Vice President was holding talks with the visiting United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Gutteres, who paid him a courtesy call.
Gutteres is in the country to asses the refugee situation following continued in flux of refugees, particularly from Somalia.
According to the Department of Immigration, over 5,000 refugees enter into Kenya from Somalia every month, thus straining the holding capacity of Daadab refugee camp situated along the countries' common border.
The Vice President thanked UNHCR and other international humanitarian agencies for assisting Kenya to cope with the large number of refugees and expressed optimism that a lasting solution to the insecurity facing the regi on would soon be found, so that the displaced persons can return to their countries.
Gutteres said the agency was holding discussion with the Kenyan government and local communities to invest on land where refugees could be relocated from the congested Daadab camp.
He said plans were underway to have a proper identification, screening and registration system of refugees in order to determine their exact numbers and where they were staying.
Source: PANA