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Budget shortfall hinders refugee resettlement, commissioner tells MPs

Commissioner for Refugee Affairs John Burugu at a past event. (X/Department of Refugee Services)

By Barack Oduor | Friday, March 22, 2024

Sigor lawmaker Lochakapong said the committee will be addressing the incapacities affecting the department.

Low budgetary allocation hampering the resettlement of refugees in the country has forced the Department for Refugee Services to seek Parliament's intervention.

The department in charge of persons seeking refugee services in the country has sought assistance from the National Assembly's Regional Development Committee in a bid to highlight their plight.

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While appearing before the committee led by Peter Lochakapong on Friday, the Commissioner for Refugee Services John Burugu underlined the implication of not sufficiently funding the department.

He explained that the lack of adequate funds has greatly affected the implementation of the scheme of service for refugee management officers.

He told the committee that out of 496 staff establishments, 398 officers have been contracted by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHRC) to conduct registration, documentation and protection of refugees.

"Only 98 officers have been employed by the government which has made the department unable to exert control and enforce discipline among its staff," he said.

He revealed that the department he heads has read-only access with limited rights to the Progress refugee database system which is controlled by UNHCR.

It came out that the information contained in the database the department is restricted from accessing is very sensitive and can be used with the border management system to seal loopholes for international criminals seeking asylum.

"We are usually embarrassed by the organizations seeking information on the refugees because we have to refer them to UNHCR," Burugu noted.

During their appearance before the committee, various concerns were raised by MPs ranging from financial and operational challenges experienced, security and environmental concerns, plans and partnerships and the integration efforts by the department.

While inquiring about the state of affairs in the midst of such budget undercuts, Ganze MP Tungule Charo Kazungu queried whether there were plans to repatriate refugees back to their country.

Burugu, however, said that the department does receive applications for the seizure of refugees and together with UNHCR, they do repatriate.

Sigor lawmaker Lochakapong said the committee will be addressing the incapacities affecting the department.

Kenya is host to approximately 691,868 refugees and asylum seekers as of December 31, 2023, according to the Department of Refugee Services.

The population comprises 531,911 (78 per cent) refugees and 152,951 (22 per cent) asylum-seekers.

The department notes that the population continues to increase rapidly compared to the previous months as a result of the registration of new arrivals and the resumption of registration services in the Dadaab Refugee Camp.

On May 9, 2023, Kenya launched a Marshal Plan National Steering Committee of 18 Principal Secretaries to come up with the Refugee Marshall Plan. The Marshall Plan is a shift in refugee policy from aid dependency to refugee self-reliance and development.