At least four people have sustained gunshot wounds as Kenyan police clashed with protesters in Kakuma Refugee Camp over severe food and water shortages.
Camp residents say living conditions have sharply declined, with many struggling to access basic necessities.
The crisis comes in the wake of reduced humanitarian aid, following funding cuts from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
A refugee from South Sudan who spoke to journalists lamented: “This is what they are using to measure beans and oil. Another one is for rice. And this is supposed to last a whole month. If you have no other source of income, is this enough?” he asked, highlighting the desperation among camp residents.
On Monday, the World Food Programme announced that it is closing its office in South Africa, citing ongoing cuts in foreign aid from the U.S. under President Donald Trump’s administration.
The reduction in aid has not only led to severe food insecurity but has also contributed to rising tensions within the camp. Mama Kayembe, a Congolese refugee, voiced her frustration: “People blame Trump for everything. Workers are not being paid, hospitals have no medicine, and now we have to pay school fees. We are tired.”
Kakuma, home to nearly 200,000 refugees and asylum seekers from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, has been facing worsening humanitarian conditions following funding cuts to aid programs.
The crisis has been exacerbated by reduced support from international donors, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to the World Food Program (WFP), food rations in the camp have been at 45% of the minimum food basket due to resource constraints.
In a statement last December, the WFP acknowledged that it had been struggling to meet the needs of refugees, warning that funding shortfalls had significantly impacted its ability to provide adequate food assistance.
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Source: Africafeeds.com
