NAIROBI, Kenya — Violent protests broke out Monday at the Kakuma refugee camp in northwestern Kenya, where demonstrators clashed with police amid mounting frustration over severe shortages of food, water, and essential services. Local media reported that security forces responded by firing live ammunition in an attempt to disperse the crowds.
The unrest follows a sharp deterioration in living conditions at the camp, which hosts approximately 200,000 refugees and asylum seekers, according to Amnesty International. Most of the camp’s residents are from conflict-ridden countries including South Sudan, Somalia, and Ethiopia.
The deteriorating humanitarian situation is being attributed to major funding reductions by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The cuts have strained essential services, creating growing desperation among residents who say basic necessities are now out of reach.
“This has gone too far,” said Mama Kayembe, a Congolese refugee living in Kakuma. “Since Donald Trump became president again, now Kenyans blame him for everything. Workers aren’t getting paid — it’s Trump. No medicine at the hospital — it’s Trump. We’re now paying school fees — it’s Trump. We are tired of Trump.”
Residents say the reduction in aid has not only exacerbated hunger but also heightened insecurity in the camp. Without reliable access to food and medical care, tensions have boiled over in recent weeks.
Aid workers have expressed concern that without alternative funding sources, the crisis in Kakuma could deepen. “The situation is at a breaking point,” said one humanitarian official who asked not to be named due to security concerns. “If no urgent action is taken, we’re going to see further unrest and more suffering.”
The Kakuma refugee camp, established in the early 1990s, is one of the largest and longest-operating refugee settlements in the world. It has long relied on international donor support, with the United States previously being one of the largest contributors.
As the Biden-era funding initiatives are rolled back under the current administration of President Trump, NGOs and UN agencies warn that tens of thousands of vulnerable people could be left without lifesaving assistance.
The Kenyan government has not yet commented officially on the protests or on whether it will intervene to address the humanitarian shortfalls.
