Hundreds of Somali refugees residing in the Dadaab camp on Friday started leaving the tents voluntarily ahead of the state's planned repatriation.
About 180 refugees drawn from various camps left aboard paid buses to the Liboi border, where the relevant refugee body and their Somalia government would handle transportation back home.
Even as the official date for the commencement exercise dawns, the North Eastern regional coordinator, Mahmoud Saleh has said the government is yet to kick start the exercise noting that verification process is ongoing at the camps and thereafter repatriation.
Saleh issued the actual repatriation exercise may take up to one month once it officially starts owing to large numbers of Somalia refugees currently resting at about 360,000.
A number of refugees said they decided to voluntarily return home because after all the Kenyan government has said that it is not turning back.
‘'We fear the exercise might be inhuman and that is why we have voluntarily opted to go. Kenya says no turning back,'’ said Mohamed Abdi, a refugee based in Ifo 2 camp.
The group that left on Friday went to Baidayo, Kismayu, and Luuq in Southern Somalia.
Each family received $2,000 (Sh200,000 ) and free transport.