PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
Kenya: Refugees ordered back to camp over security concerns
Nairobi, Kenya (PANA) - The Kenyan government on Wednesday directed all refugees living in urban areas to return to designated camps.
And to enforce the directive, the government deployed an additional 500 police officers in the capital Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku, issued the order, citing security challenges in Kenya's urban centres, among them Nairobi and Mombasa.
He said all refugees leaving outside the designated refugee camps of Kakuma and Dadaab in north west and north east Kenya respectively must return to the camps immediately.
Kenya hosts some of the world's biggest refugee camps in the world, the bulk of refugees living in Dadaab are from Somalia, a country that has never been stable since the overthrow of strongman Gen. Siad Barre in 1991.
The bulk of those living in Kakuma are from South Sudan, Ethiopia and parts of eastern DR Congo.
He said swift legal action will be taken against refugees flouting the directive.
In a bid to enhance security in the east African country of 40 million which has of late been attacked by terrorists linked to Somalia's outlawed terror group, Al-Shabab, Lenku said refugee registration centres in Nairobi, Mombasa and Isiolo will be closed.
The cabinet secretary asked Kenyans to report to the authorities illegal immigrants or refugees found outside the camps.
Lenku's directive comes in the wake of Saturday's terror attack at a church in Likoni, Mombasa, in which six worshipers lost their lives, while scores sustained injuries.
Gunmen stormed the church and opened fire on anything and anyone they came across before moving to another church, where their efforts were thwarted by police.
As they attempted to attack the second church, police officers who happened to be around the church shot in the air, forcing the criminals to take off.
On Monday, security guards found four empty bullet boxes at a popular shopping mall in Nairobi, a development that left Kenyan authorities with no other option but to reinforce security in the country.
-0- PANA DJ/VAO 26March2014
And to enforce the directive, the government deployed an additional 500 police officers in the capital Nairobi and the port city of Mombasa.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku, issued the order, citing security challenges in Kenya's urban centres, among them Nairobi and Mombasa.
He said all refugees leaving outside the designated refugee camps of Kakuma and Dadaab in north west and north east Kenya respectively must return to the camps immediately.
Kenya hosts some of the world's biggest refugee camps in the world, the bulk of refugees living in Dadaab are from Somalia, a country that has never been stable since the overthrow of strongman Gen. Siad Barre in 1991.
The bulk of those living in Kakuma are from South Sudan, Ethiopia and parts of eastern DR Congo.
He said swift legal action will be taken against refugees flouting the directive.
In a bid to enhance security in the east African country of 40 million which has of late been attacked by terrorists linked to Somalia's outlawed terror group, Al-Shabab, Lenku said refugee registration centres in Nairobi, Mombasa and Isiolo will be closed.
The cabinet secretary asked Kenyans to report to the authorities illegal immigrants or refugees found outside the camps.
Lenku's directive comes in the wake of Saturday's terror attack at a church in Likoni, Mombasa, in which six worshipers lost their lives, while scores sustained injuries.
Gunmen stormed the church and opened fire on anything and anyone they came across before moving to another church, where their efforts were thwarted by police.
As they attempted to attack the second church, police officers who happened to be around the church shot in the air, forcing the criminals to take off.
On Monday, security guards found four empty bullet boxes at a popular shopping mall in Nairobi, a development that left Kenyan authorities with no other option but to reinforce security in the country.
-0- PANA DJ/VAO 26March2014
