Kenya’s president says repatriation of Somali refugees is irreversible

Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta has insisted his government’s decision to return Somali refugees back to Somalia is final.

Kenyatta pointed out that the process of repatriation has already begun and called on the global community to partner with Kenya to ensure its success.

“The train has already left the station. It’s now up to those who are interested at seeing the success of the journey to come on board,” he said.

Holding talks with the UN deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, who paid him a courtesy call at State House on Friday; Kenyatta said Kenya’s action should not be misinterpreted as a move to abandon its international obligations, adding that the country had hosted refugees from neighbouring nations for decades.

He emphasised that Kenya viewed the repatriation of the refugees as one way of stabilising Somalia.

Uhuru said because of the large population of refugees, natural resources such as water and pasture were becoming scarce in the areas they inhabited, accelerating the threat of conflicts in the region.

He added that the refugee issue is a shared responsibility and hence the international community had a duty to support Kenya in ensuring that Somali refugees are repatriated in the best way possible.

Kenyatta assured the international community that Kenya will handle the repatriation process in accordance to international standards and in the most humane way.

The President said if the challenge of Somali refugees is not dealt with now, it could pose a major conflict in the future.

“We want Somalia helped to take back its citizens and be able to continue with their lives back home,” he said.

The move comes two days after Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mahmud said his government had no contention to the Kenyan proposal but only wanted a dignified repatriation for Somali refugees.

“The only thing that needs to be negotiated is how and what is the appropriate ways that we can bring refugees back in an organised manner to Somalia,” said President Hassan Sheikh Mahmud.