NAIROBI, (BERNAMA-NNN-KBC) — Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary (Minister) for Interior and Co-ordination of National Government, Joseph Ole Lenku, has asked Somalia to move speedily and appoint its members of the Tripartite Commission to start the repatriation of Somalia refugees in this country.
Addressing the African Union (SU) High-Level Roundtable on Durable Solutions For Displaced Persons and Refugees in Nairobi on Monday, Ole Lenku said it was high time the Somali refugees in Kenya went home since the neighbouring country was now witnessing stability.
“The government of Somalia has taken control of most parts of the country and stability has since returned to Somalia,” said Ole Lenku. Ole Lenku said Kenya had done its part by accommodating Somali refugees, noting the country hosted the largest refugee camp in the world, the Dadaab refugee camp in northeastern Kenya which is home to half a million refugees.
The Kakuma camp hosts 150,000 refugees and another 100,000 in urban centres.
Present at the roundtable was AU commissioner for Political Affairs, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi, who reiterated that the role of Kenya in humanitarian aid concerning refugees could not be overlooked and that there was need for a long-term goal to ensure the return of refugees.
The refugee menace would be at the top of the agenda at the forthcoming AU summit since it was a continental issue which could not go unaddressed, she said.
“Migration is part of life and people will keep on moving but let’s move in a more civilised manner and not unless the guns go silent by 2020 then we will keep on moving for all the wrong reasons,” said Dr. Aisha.
The agreement, formally known as the Tripartite Agreement, establishes a legal framework and other support for Somali refugees in Kenya who might eventually wish to return to their homeland.
Source: BERNAMA-NNN-KBC
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