- Some refugees are being reintegrated and repatriated to various countries that agree to take them.
- Kenya has been pushing for the closure of the Dadaab camps due to reasons such as terror issues.
Image: FILE
There was drama at Dadaab Law Courts in Garissa County when tens of refugees staged a protest demanding the release of their leader.
Police had a difficult time controlling the group of about 150 on Tuesday evening after they staged the protest demanding the release of one Hussein Bishar Alass, who had been arrested over assault.
Police had to lob tear gas canisters at the group in an effort to disperse them.
Alass was later taken to the law court where he was charged with assault and remanded ahead of the determination of his release on bond.
The group was chased from outside the court and later went to the local of United Nations High Commission for Refugee offices where they blocked the entrances for hours.
This prompted the officers to disperse them using tear gas canisters.
Police said the group threatened to continue protesting until the release of the leader.
North Eastern police boss George Seda said they are in control of the affairs there.
There are thousands of refugees at the camp. Some are being reintegrated and repatriated to various countries that agree to take them.
Kenya has been pushing for the closure of the Dadaab camps due to terror issues.
There are more than 200,000 refugees from Somalia. This is the largest group compared to those from South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Uganda.
The first attempt to close the camp was made in 2019 following the dusitD2 complex terror attack in Nairobi, in which 21 people were killed.
This is after it emerged one of the five men who attacked dusitD2 came to Kenya through Dagahaley refugee camp of the larger Dadaab.
Police investigations showed the unidentified suspect posed as a refugee before he was facilitated and brought to Nairobi to execute the attack.
In 2016, the government ordered the closure of Dadaab refugee camp.
The then Interior Cabinet secretary Joseph Nkaissery said security, environmental degradation and economic concerns were the key factors that informed the government's decision to close down the camp.
But in a court ruling in February 2017, Justice John Mativo stopped the plans, saying Nkaissery and Kibicho had acted beyond their powers.
The court also declared the repatriation of refugees unconstitutional, describing it as discriminative.
The judge directed the government to adopt mechanisms that would ensure the department dealing with refugee affairs is functioning properly.