Kenya intensifies border patrols over Somali refugee movements

Kenyan authorities have intensified security along the border with Uganda following reports about movements of Somali refugees in and out of the country through the border.

Senior police officers said on Tuesday some Somali refugees were crossing the border to the Kakuma refugee camp in the northwestern county of Turkana while others were moving out of the Dadaab refugee camp in northeast Kenya to Uganda to avoid repatriation.

Turkana West Sub-County Police Commander, David Nyabuto, said more officers had been deployed along the border with Uganda and South Sudan against illegal entry into the country.

"We have reports some of the Somali refugees were arrested along Uganda-Kenya border while en route the refugee camp in Lokiriama border point... We have intensified patrols along the entire border to check on illegal activities," Nyabuto said.

Local police said 22 Somali refugees -- six women and 16 children -- were arrested at the Lokiriama border point while en-route to Kakuma refugee camp last week.

Nyabuto said security had also been beefed up in Kakuma and the newly-created Kalobeyei refugee camp to curb any infiltration of "illegal refugees" into the camps.

There are also reports that some Somali refugees from Dadaab are illegally finding their way to Kakuma to avoid repatriation.

Kenya announced in May that it would close Daddab, the world's largest refugee camp, citing security concerns.

Set up over 20 years ago, Dadaab is home to more than 280,000 Somali refugees.

Repatriation for Somalis living in Daddab is underway but reports say some are unwilling to go home.

Aid agencies say Somalia, which is currently grappling with over 1.1 million internally displaced people, lacks the necessary resources to handle a large-scale return of refugees. Services including shelter, healthcare and education remain in desperately short supply. Endit