Advancing Refugee Participation in Governance: Elections of Refugee Leaders in Kakuma Camp and Kalobeyei Settlement
Advancing Refugee Participation in Governance: Elections of Refugee Leaders in Kakuma Camp and Kalobeyei Settlement
In Kenya, refugee leader elections have a history intertwined with the country's broader refugee policy and the influx of refugees over time. Initially, Kenya managed refugees under existing laws like the Immigration Act 2011 and Aliens Restriction Act 1973, with a focus on integration before the enactment of the Refugee Act 2021. As of March 2025, Kakuma refugee camp and Kalobeyei settlement host a total refugee population of 303,247, with 222,078 in Kakuma Camp and 78,905 in Kalobeyei settlement. The last election of refugee leaders was conducted in 2017.
The Department of Refugee Services (DRS) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), jointly with the refugee community, developed the Kakuma Refugee Camp Constitution 2025 and subsequent guidelines to govern the election of refugee leaders. This document stipulates that elected refugee leaders should serve a term of three years before new elections are held. This marked a new dawn for the election of refugee leaders, which the DRS and UNHCR, working jointly with refugees, conducted on May 27th, 2025, for Kakuma camp and May 28th, 2025, for Kalobeyei, to elect a chairperson and deputy chairperson with a focus on gender consideration.
The KNCHR offered invaluable technical support to the entire electoral process. Beyond that, the KNCHR conducted observation and monitoring exercises throughout the election. Through this monitoring process, election data were as follows: The total eligible voters were 105,085 (Kakuma - 68,004 and Kalobeyei - 37,081). The total number of contesting candidates was 538 (338 male and 200 female), with 372 candidates in Kakuma camp and 166 in Kalobeyei settlement. There were 29 total polling centers (18 in Kakuma and 11 in Kalobeyei Settlement) with 187 total polling stations (125 in Kakuma and 62 in Kalobeyei). The elected leaders shall head blocks for Kakuma camps and neighborhoods for Kalobeyei settlements.
The election of refugee leaders not only provides them with a structure to manage their affairs but also allows them to enjoy their civil and political rights, which are protected by international, regional, and national legislations. The participation of refugees in electing their leaders mirrors the call by both the Refugee Act 2021 and the Shirika Plan 2025 on the involvement of refugees at various levels, including their governance. The KNCHR considers this election process as one that upholds and appreciates the existence of refugees as well as their role in the governance of their affairs.