Widespread protests erupted in Kakuma Refugee Camp in north-western Kenya, as refugees demonstrated over rising food and water shortages. According to local media accounts, police replied by shooting live rounds at protestors in an effort to disperse them.
Residents report that circumstances in the camp have worsened dramatically, with many struggling to get supplies.
The issue coincides with less humanitarian aid due to financial cuts from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Kakuma, one of the world’s largest refugee camps, is home to approximately 200,000 refugees and asylum seekers, primarily from South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Somalia, according to Amnesty International.
Speaking on the situation, Mama Kayembe, a Congolese refugee, expressed frustration over the ongoing blame game surrounding the aid cuts:
The funding reductions have not only exacerbated food insecurity but have also fueled rising tensions and instability within the camp.
Without alternative sources of aid, concerns are growing that the situation could further deteriorate.
