MCA slams refugee integration proposals for excluding public input

arajila Ward Representative Noor Sheikh Farah has raised concerns over proposals to integrate the Dadaab refugee complex with the host community, arguing that the process has lacked meaningful public participation.

 The member of the county who is the chair for the Special Program Integration coordination of NGOs and security committee at the assembly noted that the proposal has serious implications to the host community and there is need for full involvement of the public.

 He said MCAs as representatives of people at the grassroots have been kept in the dark on the whole process with only few people he noted taking the lead in the integration process. 

“The integration is being done illegally and without due process as envisaged by our constitution, no proper public participation has been done, even members of the county assembly are not aware,” he told journalists at Garissa County assembly. 

He said as chair of the integration and coordination committee at the assembly he is not aware of anything regarding the integration alleging that an already substantial amount of money has been spent.

He claimed that  funds released by the World Bank were intended to support restoration and development initiatives within host communities, but details on their use remain unclear.

Noor regretted that just like anyone else they have heard about the refugee-host integration and they know nothing about calling for urgent attention from Interior Cabinet secretary Kipchumba Murkomen. 

“The host community has suffered since we hosted refugees in our areas, our pastoralists have no pasture, the environment has been depleted completely,” he said. 

Noor said as local leaders they will continue pushing for what is rightfully for the host community asking the Interior CS to come to Garissa to address some of the concerns from the community regarding integration of refugees. 

The ward representative noted that they will reconsider their support for the Kenya Kwanza if they will not come clean on refugee integration into the host community. 

Dadaab refugee complex is the biggest refugee in Kenya with population of 442,934 refugees as of November 2025, in 2023 shirika plan was launched, a Kenya Government initiative  that was aimed at transition refugees from long-term camp dependency to inclusion in local communities through economic, social, and legal reforms.

The plan which was attended by President William Ruto is also designed to move away from isolated camps and allow refugees to work legally, access education and healthcare and start businesses.