Kenya's government has officially converted the Dadaab and Kakuma refugee camps into municipalities, ending their temporary status after more than three decades. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen announced the development on November 27, 2025, during an IGAD inter-ministerial meeting in Nairobi. The change supports the Shirika Plan's goals for refugee integration and improved services.
The chartering of Dadaab and Kakuma as municipalities represents a major step in Kenya's approach to refugee hosting. Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen confirmed the status change on Thursday, November 27, 2025, at the third Ministerial Stock-take of the IGAD Support Platform in Nairobi. This meeting assessed progress on the Nairobi Declaration on refugees and displaced persons.
Murkomen highlighted advancements under the Shirika Plan, launched by President William Ruto on March 25, 2025, at an estimated cost of KSh 140 billion. Funding primarily comes from the World Bank, European Union, Germany, Denmark, and the United States. The plan seeks to integrate refugees and host communities into national systems, providing access to education, healthcare, and livelihoods through government channels at national and county levels.
As of October 2025, UNHCR data shows Kenya hosting 843,907 registered refugees and asylum-seekers, with 420,674 in Dadaab and 302,372 in Kakuma and Kalobeyei. The new municipal status paves the way for infrastructure upgrades benefiting both groups.
Immediate measures include issuing Class M work permits to refugees, eliminating movement passes that confined them to camps, and enrolling thousands of refugee children in public schools in Garissa and Turkana counties. Health and education services are transitioning from UNHCR to county governments, with full handover by December 2027.
Local leaders have expressed support but emphasized priorities for host communities. In July 2025, Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai stated that jobs under Shirika must first go to Turkana youth. Garissa officials have voiced concerns about water and grazing resources.
The IGAD meeting also endorsed a Regional Solutions Strategy for Sudanese and South Sudanese displaced persons, reaffirming commitments to safe, voluntary returns and reintegration.