Kenya

06 August 2025

The deteriorating socioeconomic situation in refugee camps, especially in Turkana and Garissa, has contributed to an increase in criminal activities, tension between refugees and host communities, and demonstrations over scarce resources. Protests turned violent when police clashed with protesters in Kalobeyei settlement (28 June) and Kakuma camp (29 July), where reduced food rations have significantly increased malnutrition, particularly among children, pregnant and lactating women, and people with chronic illnesses. Gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence and early marriage, is prevalent, heightened by economic pressures, overcrowding, and entrenched social norms. Water shortages and intermittent services in the camps have prompted internal relocations. Access to protection services, adequate shelter, and education is limited, with girls at increased risk of early marriage and boys more likely to engage in informal labour. In Dadaab’s Ifo and Dagahaley camps, dengue fever outbreaks have been linked to poor waste management, higher temperatures, and limited healthcare access. (ECHO 29/07/2025, Radio Ergo 22/07/2025, [USCRI 29/07/2025] (https://reliefweb.int/report/kenya/uscri-calls-immediate-action-refugees-face-man-made-starvation-crisis-kenya))

10 June 2025

A tree locust infestation has been affecting Turkana South, Turkana county, since early 2025. The pests are destroying acacia trees, sorghum crops, and pastureland. These are critical resources for the communities in the arid and semi-arid land region. The outbreak coincides with a projected deterioration in food security between April–June resulting from below-average rainfall. (The Eastleigh Voice 04/06/2025, Govt. Turkana County 03/06/2025, IPC 21/03/2025)

13 May 2025

Since April 2025, Kenya’s arid and semi-arid land regions, including Garissa and Turkana, have faced rising WASH-related risks owing to heavy rains and flash floods. Damaged infrastructure, stagnant water, and poor sanitation have increased the outbreak risk of diseases such as cholera. Recent assessments indicate that over 80% of schools lack proper toilets. In Garissa, specifically, 59% have no water access, while in Turkana, many rely on unsafe sources. Refugee influxes strain services, leaving both host and displaced populations highly exposed to waterborne diseases. (ECHO 23/04/2025, REACH 28/04/2025, IFRC 25/04/2025)

29 April 2025

Heavy rainfall in different parts of the country, particularly Isiolo and Baringo counties, has caused flooding and displacement. By 23 April 2025, two people were reported missing and around 1,200 were displaced in Isiolo alone. The floods have raised concerns around a cholera outbreak aggravated by poor sanitation and limited access to clean water. (ECHO 23/04/2025, The Eastleigh Voice 22/04/2025)

26 November 2024

Climate conditions have triggered concurrent disease outbreaks in northern Kenya, notably malaria in Baringo, Marsabi, and Turkana counties. These arid and semi-arid regions face considerable barriers to healthcare access, including long distances to medical facilities, challenging terrain, and high transportation costs. Severe shortages of healthcare workers and critical resources, such as diagnostic tests and treatments, worsen these constraints. In Baringo county, the absence of preventive malaria interventions for over five years has worsened the outbreak. The October–November 2024 rains are expected to further heighten malaria cases, particularly in refugee-hosting Turkana county, where health infrastructure is already overstretched. Between 1 January and 3 November, more than 2,700 measles cases were recorded, a significant rise from 1,370 cases during the same period in 2023. Measles outbreaks have been reported in 17 counties, with Garissa county recording the highest number of cases, followed by Turkana, Mandera, and Kajiado. (MSF 25/11/2024, WHO 23/11/2024, Crisis24 26/11/2024)

02 July 2024

Since 25 June 2024, Kenya has witnessed a growing youth-led movement protesting against tax increases and the Finance Bill 2024. Although the President withdrew the bill on 26 June, anti-government protests have persisted. While largely peaceful, the protests have faced police use of live ammunition, killing at least 39 by 1 July according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. More than 30 cases of involuntary disappearances and nearly 600 arrests of protesters, with approximately 360 injured, have been reported. Although some detained protesters have since been released, these incidents of violence heighten protection risks for those at the forefront of the protests. Physical access constraints during the protests hinder the access of aid organisations and ambulances to those in need. Red Cross staff and volunteers have also received injuries and experienced attacks on their vehicles. There are also reports of internet disruptions during the protests. (AJ 01/07/2024, Reuters 25/06/2024, The Guardian 25/06/2024, HRW 28/06/2024) [please keep three sources only]

04 June 2024

In June 2024, Kenya is grappling with a vaccine shortage amid a measles outbreak. The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), measles, polio, rotavirus, tetanus, and other essential vaccines are unavailable in various facilities. Kakuma camp has exhausted its buffer stocks of the BCG vaccine, oral polio vaccine (OPV), and rotavirus vaccine, with current supplies projected to last one month. A similar crisis is emerging in Hagadera and Dadaab camps, where only 60 OPV doses remain. This heightens the risk of preventable outbreaks with severe consequences, including lifelong disabilities and fatalities among children. Frequent cross-border movement and nomadic lifestyles put communities along Kenya's borders, particularly in Turkana and Garissa counties, at heightened susceptibility. Refugees are at particular risk given the continuous influx of new refugees and asylum seekers from neighbouring regions. The porous borders aggravate the situation, with inadequate disease surveillance systems, particularly at the numerous informal entry points along the Somali border (IRC 04/06/2024, The Standard 02/06/2024, Nation 19/05/2024)