Lobby petitions to have refugees given citizenship

Some of the refugees at the Dadaab camp. [File, Standard]

Thousands of refugees could become Kenyan citizens if a petition filed by a civil society group to compel the government to recognise them succeeds. Kituo Cha Sheria, through lawyer Linet Opiyo, filed the petition at the High Court claiming that the government's failure to accord refugees the right to seek citizenship and permanent residence is illegal, discriminatory and a violation of their rights.

"We want the court to declare that refugee status constitutes lawful residence in the country and that they qualify to apply for citizenship. The government has illegally denied them citizenship and restricted them to the country's borders without regard to their rights," said Opiyo.