Fifty per cent of Kenyans support the government's move to close down the Dadaab refugee camp.
The government, in the wake of the deadly Garissa University attack in April 2014 by the al-Shabaab group which claimed 147 lives, said it would shut down the camp saying it poses security threats.
“We have asked the UNHCR to relocate the refugees in three months, failure to which we shall relocate them ourselves, we must
secure this country at whatever cost," said then DP William Ruto.
The position was, however, met with international outcry, with UNHCR claiming that this move was not only cruel but against the Refugee Convention to which
Kenya is a signatory17.
The process to repatriate the refugees has started.
But according to a survey by Twaweza, six in ten (64%) Kenyans are informed of the government’s decision to close the Dadaab refugee camp.
Out of these, 80% approve of this decision, 20 disapprove of the move.
The Twaweza survey titled;The roots of radicalization: Citizens’ views on the causes and solutions for insecurity in Kenya, was conducted between August 15 and September 6, and released on November 17. It involved 1,801 respondents.