Refugee Protection in Kenya

This journal article explores the framework for refugee protection in Kenya. The country has hosted refugees from neighbouring East African countries, primarily due to its perceived political stability. The refugee situation is marked by significant hardship, affecting not only the refugees themselves but also the host nation. This scenario places considerable strain on the financial and physical resources of the host nation and necessitates substantial efforts from the international community to provide aid to those in need. In response to the refugee crisis, Kenya has adopted several policies to ensure compliance with international standards for refugee protection. This article evaluates how effectively Kenya’s Refugee Act of 2021 has been domesticated and upheld in line with internationally acknowledged and obligatory durable solutions to the refugee problem. A descriptive literature review was employed to collect, organise, analyse, and present the relevant data. The findings posit that although Kenya has made notable progress in establishing regulatory frameworks to protect refugees, the goals of refugee protection remain unfulfilled. Even with the enactment of the Refugee Act of 2021, refugees in Kenya still face numerous challenges related to their protection. The article contends that the key to resolving the refugee crisis in Kenya hinges on the diligent implementation of the durable solutions. This research contributes to the broader discourse on refugee protection worldwide, with a particular emphasis on the Kenyan context.