The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) has asked President William Ruto's government to speed up the status determination for around 250,000 asylum seekers who are yet to be registered and their status determined.
Kenya has joined the world in marking Refugee Day as the Kenya Human Rights Commission pitches camp in Kakuma, Turkana County.
The commission's Chief Executive Officer, Dr Bernard Mogesa who was speaking after leading a solidarity walk on Wednesday, June 19, that brought together refugees, host communities, and service providers from Kakuma Refugee Camp, asked African leaders to ensure they create conducive environments for their citizens to avert the increasing number of refugees moving out of many African countries as asylum seekers.
"I call upon all African leaders to make Africa a place where human rights are respected. Create conducive environments that will stop people from running away," Mogesa said.
Mogesa commended the national government for its efforts in ensuring that refugees are properly settled in Kenya with access to all basic social amenities.
“Growing up we were taught about brotherhood. This is what we are experiencing here in Kakuma,” an optimistic Mogesa said.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), seeking asylum is a human right, and every person in the world has the right to apply for asylum if they are fleeing conflict or persecution.
UNHCR further stated that the process of registration enables the early identification of individuals with specific needs and supports their referral to necessary protection and assistance programmes.
"The very fact of being registered can protect against forced return, arbitrary arrest, and detention. It helps keep families together and assists UNHCR in reuniting refugees, especially children, who have been separated from their families," UNHCR said.
Since 2016, all registration and documentation in Kenya has been managed by the government, represented by the Department of Refugee Services (DRS).
Registration activities have been unified and harmonised in one data management system, combined with biometrics, and are being conducted by DRS personnel with technical support from UNHCR.
Various documents are issued by DRS to refugees and asylum-seekers, including refugee identity cards, asylum-seeker passes, proof of registration documents, and movement passes.
This year's World Refugee Day is to be celebrated today, June 20, under the theme, 'Everyone is Welcome'.
