Urban Refugees and Human Security Management in Africa: Case Study of Kenya

Abstract

This study is about the urban refugees and human security management in Africa: case study of Kenya. It assessed the nature and extent of urban refugees‟ problem in Africa, analysed the relationship between urban refugees and human security management in Africa, evaluated the impact of urban refugees on human security in Kenya and proffer the refugees‟ policy recommendations on human security in Kenya. The study also set out two hypotheses namely urban refugees is not a problem in Africa, there is a negative relationship between urban refugees and human security management in Africa and urban refugees have no impact on human security in Kenya. The study used primary data and presented data using frequency tables. It was guided by push and pull theory and Copenhagen Securitization Theory. The study found out that a large number of the respondents indicated that urban refugee was a problem that faced Kenya. This leads to a conclusion that indeed Kenya faces a problem of urban refugees. The respondents indicated that urban refugees especially have presented a security problem in Kenya. Armed groups have used the urban refugees‟ camps for recruiting fighters, shelter, and food. This has been linked to terrorism and proliferation of arms being alleged as the main carriers of these weapons. Majority of the respondents indicated that urban refugees was a cause for human security threat. This means that urban refugee is a threat to human security. With over half of the respondents stating that insecurity level by urban refugees to be very high; this implies that policies governing the urban refugee regime are not very effective and hence better and effective policies and laws are required to effectively stem the resultant insecurity. From the findings above it is clear that the nature of urban refugees relating to insecurity was terrorist scare. The other concern urban refugees was theft. This study examined the Relationship between Urban Refugees and Human Security Management in Africa by investigating if urban refugees has influenced human security management and strategies of managing urban refugee issue. Majority of the respondents indicated that urban refugees had influenced human security management. Majority of the respondents indicated that voluntary repatriation was a strategy of managing urban refugee issue while others proposed encampment. Local integration with the community was also prosed while others indicated resettlement. The research, recommends that international community through United Nations should look into the making of peace in countries neighbouring Kenya among their tribes and strengthen the government institutions to counter displacement. The government of the affected countries should preach peace among its citizens to avoid conflict. Further integration should be facilitated with support from World Bank and IMF to resettle the urban refugees if peace is not guaranteed in their country of origin. Economic and security tensions between Kenya and urban refugees occur constantly for several reasons discussed in this research. Approaches that foster peace and security amongst the two communities may be pursued further. Peace and Security Committees, Nyumba Kumi Initiatives spearheaded by Kenya Security agencies like National Coordination should continue and bring more and influential actors on board. Joint initiatives like common markets, common schools, common hospitals and recreation places equally create good relationship and interactions between hosts and urban refugees.