After weeks of protesting against the government's push to repatriate refugees back to their home countries, Garissa governor, Nathif Jama has now changed his tune on the matter.
He now wants the government to iron out any emerging issues that could put the repatriation exercise into jeopardy.
Speaking in Balambala Sub-County during a project launch, Jama said that his county was now obliged to support the push owing to the reasons cited by the government. He, however, advised the government to undertake the exercise with moderation lest the whole exercise backfires and later haunts the nation.
In a note of concern, Jama further expressed that a huge number of refugees had intermarried with locals residents of the North Eastern communities, and therefore, moving ahead to forcefully disengage them would amount to a massive disorientation of extended families.
Amid calls from various stakeholders, the Kenyan government has insisted on closing down the Dadaab Refugee Camps by November this year.