Letter from the editor

Dear KANERE readers,

Welcome to this special edition that comes as the first of the year 2018. The Kakuma News Reflector didn’t have any publication over 2017 as a result of staff going for different things that includes: studies, work and traveling abroad.

However, KANERE is back on reporting again. The paper will remain purely a refugee run news service providing balanced and often untold horrible stories of camp life, humanitarian service deliveries and human rights.

As you may know, Kakuma is a highly cosmopolitan camp and life is one of continual dynamics which is fostered by the humanitarian setting of keeping the existing numbers and alternating new arrivals into the camps as sources of aid business. The more the numbers of refugees, the more campaigns would be momentum for more funding to the camps. Also, it’s a problem when there is a reduced number of refugees in the camp as the effect would be little funding which often leads to reduction in staffing, creating of gaps and cartels on refugee operation in-country or at the Africa bureau.

Nonetheless, despite the continuing high numbers of residents, Kakuma and Dadaab have encountered the worst humanitarian times recently as result of famine. Food rations were cut twice in 2017 as an outcome of condensed funding from the UN body after president Trump came to power. Several humanitarian agencies had to decelerate some of their refugee assistance programs in Kenya including RSC Africa – US Refugee Admission Program.

In Kakuma refugee camp, Trump’s negative policies on refugees have led to a perception of reduced freedom, safety and social connection among the refugee families who are torn apart globally.

Over several months Kakuma has experienced insecurity problems that has resulted in looting of homes at night, attacks that have caused injuries including sexual violence often committed by thugs who are armed with guns.

In an article from later April, a political refugee was murdered in the camp by Kenyan armed forces on an unjustified allegation of theft. Eight months down the line the murder of a refugee man remain a misery to relatives and the community.

A story on Kenya’s black market in “Refugee real estate” details its informal system of shelter ownership, and lack of formal legal protection that allow systematic corruption inside the camp among other stories.

We would like to welcome comments, opinions, criticisms and expert contribution to our editorial by writing to us at kakuma.news@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Qaabata Boru

Editorial Executive – KANERE