NAIROBI, Kenya – Kenya is facing a deepening refugee crisis following severe funding cuts by developed nations, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has warned.
The reductions have drastically impacted humanitarian programs, leaving over 800,000 refugees and asylum seekers in dire need.
The effects are already being felt on the ground. On Monday, refugees in Kakuma camp staged protests over drastic reductions in food rations provided by the World Food Programme (WFP), which is now only able to supply 40% of the minimum basic requirement.
“For over three decades, we have provided food, healthcare, education, and security for those fleeing conflict in the region,” Murkomen stated in a post on his official X account. “With the current funding cuts, the socio-economic strain on our country will be unbearable. Yet, abandoning these vulnerable individuals is not an option.”
Following recent aid freezes and budget cuts for humanitarian assistance programs by developed countries, the impact on our country’s ability to host refugees and asylum seekers which number over 800,000 people, has been sudden and severe. Just yesterday, refugees in Kakuma…
The CS called on developed countries to fulfill their financial obligations, saying it was unfair for Kenya to shoulder the burden alone.
In response to the crisis, Murkomen convened an emergency meeting on Tuesday morning with key humanitarian partners, including UN Resident Coordinator Dr. Stephen Jackson, heads of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), UNICEF, WFP, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Also in attendance was Immigration and Citizen Services PS Prof. Julius Bitok and other government officials.
The meeting focused on developing both medium- and long-term strategies to mitigate the impact of funding shortfalls.
However, without renewed international support, Kenya faces mounting pressure to sustain refugee programs amid dwindling resources.
The country has long been a regional safe haven for those fleeing instability, hosting large refugee populations in camps such as Kakuma and Dadaab.
But with aid drying up, Kenya may be forced to rethink its approach—raising concerns about the fate of thousands who rely on humanitarian assistance for survival.
