UN agency donates 15 cars for police patrols
within refugee camps
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has donated 15 brand new Land Cruisers to the government to enhance police mobility and security operations in Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps.
Vehicles will be used by the National Police Service and Administration Police.
Flagging-off the vehicles yesterday at Nyayo House building, Principal Secretary for Citizen Services Julius Bitok said seven vehicles will operate in Daadab while eight will be stationed at Kakuma to support police in maintaining security at the camps and their environs.
Bitok said the government is currently taking care of around 571,000 refugees, whom he said came to Kenya due to the ravaging drought in their countries.
He revealed that the process of repatriating them back to their countries is still on-going, and added that the government is using the strategy of encouraging and requesting the refugees to return to their country.
“We are adopting a master plan that will address how the refugees can be decongested once and for all,” the PS said.
Bitok thanked UNHCR for the donations, noting that the number of refugees coming into the country from South Sudan to Kakuma and Somalia to Dadaab has been increasing, thereby raising concerns.
Speaking at the event, UNHCR Country Representative Caroline Van Buren attributed the rising number of refugees to drought.
She said the Kenyan government encampment approach to have a settlement camp where refugees can live side by side with communities will involve the refugees in economic activities.
-KNA
